Something interesting is happening. Norway’s largest pension fund organization, which manages approximately 9 trillion yen in assets, has begun selling shares in alcohol and gambling companies. Organizations that manage pension funds increase their funds by combining various stocks and bonds. Pension recipients want their pensions to be more efficient and take home more. However, an increasing number of pensioners are not satisfied with just focusing on efficient management. This is a trend that excludes “guilty companies.” It was determined that alcohol consumption was an obstacle to the stable development of society. The world is an example of a movement towards ensuring that investments not only lead to profits but also to the development of a sustainable society.
The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare published the “Guidelines for Healthy Drinking” on February 19, 2024, hoping that it will be useful in determining the appropriate amount of alcohol to drink. This guideline is intended to “help people determine the appropriate amount of alcohol and drinking behavior according to their individual circumstances, in order to promote the dissemination of knowledge about the risks associated with drinking.” The guidelines place importance on the “pure alcohol content (number of grams of alcohol)” contained in alcoholic beverages. This guideline provides examples of the risk of developing each disease based on daily intake. For example, it warns that women who consume more than 20 grams per day are at increased risk of lifestyle-related diseases. By the way, the amount of pure alcohol equivalent to 20 grams is 1 cup of Japanese sake, 1 double glass of whiskey, 1 medium bottle of beer, etc. For men, consuming 40g or more is said to increase the risk of lifestyle-related diseases.
With the publication of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare’s guidelines, major alcoholic beverage companies are accelerating their efforts to review the sales of high-alcohol beverages. Izakaya restaurants such as “Akamaruya” seem to accept this movement as a “trend of the times.” This restaurant anticipates that some customers will refrain from drinking alcohol. In the future, it seems that menus will include information such as pure alcohol content and excerpts from guidelines. Akamaruya plans to strengthen sales of low-alcohol and non-alcoholic drinks. The challenge for the future will be to provide services that provide time and space for even non-drinking customers to enjoy. Stores that provide such services may be able to develop their business advantageously in the future.
