Top Beer Importer in Korea... But Declining Domestically
Low Birthrate and Aging Population Lead to Growing Alcohol Avoidance Among Young People
Japan's beer consumption has been decreasing year by year. This is the exact opposite phenomenon of Korea reclaiming the top spot as the largest importer of beer after four years.
On the 2nd, Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported that Japan's annual beer shipment volume peaked at over 7 million kiloliters in 1994 and has been declining every year since.
Last year, shipments fell below 2 million kiloliters, a reduction of more than 70% compared to the peak. If this trend continues, it is predicted that by 2056, shipments will have decreased by more than 90% from the highest point.
Asahi Breweries, Japan's largest beer company, predicted that "by 2050, half of sales will be low-alcohol or non-alcoholic beverages." In response, they launched a beer with 0.5% alcohol content in 2021 and are seeking ways to expand consumers while preparing for changes in perceptions of alcoholic beverages.
The sharp decline in Japan's beer consumption is related to low birth rates and an aging population. The drinking population is shrinking, and among young people who will become the next generation of alcohol consumers, there is a strong trend of avoiding alcohol.
Recently, the phenomenon of avoiding alcohol has been spreading mainly among young people in Japan. According to a survey by Biglobe, a Japanese internet company, 80% of Japanese aged 20 to 24 responded that they "do not want to drink alcohol in daily life." There is also a negative attitude toward behaviors such as being unable to control oneself properly due to intoxication.
Meanwhile, it was found that one out of every four imported beers sold in Korea this year is Japanese beer.
According to customs trade statistics on the 2nd, Japan's beer imports from January to August this year amounted to 36,573 tons, accounting for 21.9% of total beer imports, marking the top position for the first time in four years.
In 2018, Japan accounted for 24.2% of total beer imports with 86,676 tons, maintaining the number one position. However, when the Japanese government imposed export restrictions on Korean semiconductors and other products in July 2019 in response to the Korean Supreme Court's ruling on compensation for forced labor victims, a large-scale boycott of Japanese products ensued.
Afterwards, Japan's beer imports sharply declined to 47,331 tons in 2019, and last year, Japan's beer imports were only 18,940 tons, accounting for 8.8% of total imports.
Struggling Japanese beer showed signs of recovery from the first quarter of last year. In the first quarter of this year, import volume recovered to 42% of the first quarter of 2019, before the export restrictions. The distribution industry believes that "the trend of avoiding Japanese beer purchases like a few years ago is now almost gone."
Meanwhile, the ranking of beer import countries from January to August this year after Japan is China (32,153 tons), the Netherlands (29,243 tons), Poland (11,291 tons), Germany (9,911 tons), the United States (9,876 tons), the Czech Republic (8,850 tons), and Ireland (8,705 tons).
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