About Alcohol Advertising and Alcohol Related Social Issues

Age restriction of alcohol consumption in Japan started in 1922 with the enactment of ‘Minor Drinking Prohibition Act’. Details on the background of the introduction of this act will not be discussed here, but you can read the document by the National Tax College Tax Museum here if you are interested.

In 1988, ‘Self-Regulations of Alcohol Advertising and Labeling’ was written and announced by 9 alcohol associations. It urges alcohol manufacturers to be socially responsible for the prevention of underage drinking, drunk driving, and other illegal activities, as well as to cultivate a proper drinking environment. In addition, the Review Committee of Alcohol Advertising was set up in 2007 as an affiliated organization of the Health and Medicine of Alcohol Association to perform periodic review of the self-regulation from a neutral, fair point of view. 

‘Self-Regulations of Alcohol Advertising and Labeling’ covers a wide range of topics from statement display aimed to prevent underage drinking and drunk driving, specification of alcoholic products, time-frame regulation of TV commercials, to age regulation of performers in alcohol advertisements.