Japan is asking young people to come up with ideas to promote greater alcohol consumption
Japan's government wants young people to drink more alcohol in an effort to reverse declining sales, which it has blamed on demographic changes in the far-Eastern nation. The "Saka Viva!" campaign, launched by Japan's National Tax Agency, wants young people between ages 20 and 39 to come up with new ideas to help revitalize the industry. The agency says sales of alcoholic drinks are down due to declining birthrates, an aging population and the coronavirus pandemic. It hopes the project will encourage young people to come up with "business plans" that would help promote alcoholic beverages "among the younger generation." The tax agency also suggests creative ways people can help promote the consumption of alcohol, such as using artificial intelligence and the metaverse. But the response from the Japanese public has been less than enthusiastic, particularly since the trope of "drunk salary man" was far too common on social media just prior ...