The Japanese government has launched a nationwide competition to revitalise the industry which has been shrinking due to demographic changes, lifestyle choices and the coronavirus pandemic.

The country’s national tax agency’s Sake Viva! campaign, which runs until 9 September, asks people aged 20 to 39 to come up with ideas for new “products and designs” to “stimulate demand among young people”.

This includes boosting Japanese alcoholic beverages such as sake (rice wine), beer, whiskey, wine or beer.

“The domestic alcoholic beverage market is shrinking due to demographic changes such as the declining birth rate and ageing population, and lifestyle changes due to the impact of the new coronavirus infection,” the tax authority’s campaign website says.