Nearly 44 per cent of Japanese in their twenties never drink alcohol and another 16 per cent do so less than once a month, according to a new survey – a generational shift that is rattling Japan’s drinks industry and challenging long-held social norms.
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The findings, by Tokyo-based marketing consultancy Mery Co, reflect deeper changes in Japanese society, observers say, with pandemic-era habits, rising costs and evolving attitudes about work and well-being reshaping how younger generations socialise and spend.
The release of the report coincided with monthly data published on Wednesday by the nation’s major brewers showing that beer consumption fell by 9 per cent year-on-year in August – the fifth consecutive month of decline.
The slump challenges the long-standing belief that beer sales rise during Japan’s hot summer months as consumers seek relief from the heat.
Industry analysts said this year’s extreme temperatures likely kept people from going out in the evenings, while at-home consumption also declined amid growing concerns over inflation and shrinking disposable incomes.
But observers suggest the downturn is more than seasonal and that the industry is facing a long-term generational realignment.