RESPONSIBLE drinking campaigns usually focus on encouraging people to minimise their alcohol consumption.
However, Japanese authorities seem less concerned about the potential adverse impacts of overindulging in sak, with the National Tax Agency (NTA) launching a competition aimed to revitalise the nation's drinking culture.
As part of the Sak Viva! campaign the NTA is asking 20- to 39-year-olds to come up with ideas to encourage people to booze-up, in an effort to combat sliding tax revenues.
According to NTA data, annual alcohol consumption in Japan has dipped from 100 litres per person in 1995 down to 75 litres in 2020, with the dip in drinking adversely impacting the Budget.
The NTA noted that taxes on alcohol have been on the decline for more than 40 years, falling from 5% of Japan's tax revenue in 1980 to 1.7% in 2020.
"As working from home made strides to a certain extent during the COVID-19 crisis, many people may have come to question whether they need to continue the habit of drinking with colleagues to deepen communication," a NTA spokesperson said.
"If the 'new normal' takes root, that will be an additional headwind for tax revenue."
While the NTA is keen to see people reach for a bottle and get boozy for their country, Japan's Health Ministry has stressed that people should only drink the "appropriate amount of alcohol".
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