Tokoyo: Police warns people over alcohol consumption

• Drinkers are being killed by cars after passing out on roads.
• 10 individuals have died in similar accident says Tokyo police.
• The average Japanese person consumes 8 litres of pure alcohol annually.

Due to an uptick in drinkers being killed by cars after passing out on the road, police in Japan’s capital are advising people to restrict their alcohol consumption this holiday season.

According to a recent tweet from Tokyo police, 10 individuals have died in similar accidents so far this year, accounting for 22% of all pedestrian fatalities in the city. “That’s twice what it was the previous year. “Pedestrians, drink responsibly!” the post advised.

Police are worried that the mortality toll could increase when people go to office parties and end-of-year celebrations, especially if the nightlife resumes after the Covid restrictions were relaxed.

The agency has distributed a PSA video reminding people to drive safely and cautioning them about the dangers of binge drinking. 60,000 cabs in Tokyo equipped with monitors will show it in the days leading up to New Year’s Eve.

In October 2021, Japan’s state of emergency over the coronavirus was withdrawn, allowing restaurants to once again serve alcohol and stay open later. However, limitations in some areas of the country persisted up until March of this year.

The tourist industry is anticipating a spike in visitors over the holidays since international travel to Japan began in October of this year.

According to an OECD research from 2021 that takes the effects of the pandemic into account, alcohol consumption in Japan is relatively low, but social drinking is widespread at celebrations.

The average Japanese person consumes 8 litres of pure alcohol annually, which is about comparable to 1.6 wine bottles or 3 litres of beer each week.

During the pandemic, Japan’s consumption of alcohol decreased, and limitations had an adverse effect on the revenue of bars and other venues that served alcohol.

The decline in sales has also reduced revenue from the liquor tax, which has led to the Japanese government’s controversial effort this year to encourage young people to drink more alcohol.

But the Health Ministry of Japan has previously issued statements cautioning against excessive drinking. It referred to excessive alcohol drinking as a “serious social concern” that persisted despite the recent decline in consumption in a blog post on its website last year. Additionally, it exhorted those who engage in harmful drinking patterns to “reconsider” their relationship with alcohol.

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