BBC interview: Japan's campaign to get young people drinking more alcohol and the death of pioneer designer Hanae Mori

I spoke to the BBC about the Japanese government's new campaign contest to get young people to drink more alcohol (!)—and the death of pioneering fashion designer Hanae Mori. I did not try to connect the two.

Audio's online here. 

"Japan's young adults are a sober bunch - something authorities are hoping to change with a new campaign.

The younger generation drinks less alcohol than their parents - a move that has hit taxes from beverages like sake (rice wine).

So the national tax agency has stepped in with a national competition to come up with ideas to reverse the trend.

The 'Sake Viva!' campaign hopes to come up with a plan to make drinking more attractive - and boost the industry.

The contest asks 20 to 39-year-olds to share their business ideas to kick-start demand among their peers - whether it's for Japanese sake, shochu, whiskey, beer or wine.

The group running the competition for the tax authority says new habits - partly formed during the Covid pandemic - and an ageing population have led to a decline in alcohol sales.

It wants contestants to come up with promotions, branding, and even cutting-edge plans involving artificial intelligence."

Roland Kelts is a writer in Tokyo, author of JAPANAMERICA, and visiting professor at Waseda University.  Half Japanese himself, he's an authority on the interplay between Japanese and Western cultures.  Is this campaign purely about tax revenues?