> In a 2021 report, the tax agency said duties on liquor had been a major revenue source for the government for centuries, but had declined in recent decades. J

> In a 2021 report, the tax agency said duties on liquor had been a major revenue source for the government for centuries, but had declined in recent decades. Japan received 1.1 trillion yen ($8.1 billion) in alcohol tax in 2021 -- 1.7% of overall tax revenue, compared to 3% in 2011, and 5% in 1980 That's a big % of their economy. However some googling reveals that [1] > Summing up the costs of each component of the overall cost to society, the total cost of alcohol abuse was estimated at 6,637.5 yen billion, representing 1.9% of the gross national product in 1987, which was three times that of the national revenue from taxes on alcohol beverages. Which means this move may do more harm than good. [1] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8412152/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8412152/