REUTERS
January 6, 2021 at 17:45 JST
A Kabukicho street in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward on June 3 (Nobuo Fujiwara)
The head of Kirin Holdings’ beer business on Wednesday questioned imposing across-the-board closings of late-night bars and restaurants around Tokyo, saying some establishments had already implemented stringent safety measures.
Japanese government advisers on Tuesday called for a new state of emergency in the Tokyo area as daily COVID-19 cases on Tuesday hit 1,278, the second highest daily total since the pandemic began. Residents are expected to be urged to refrain from non-essential outings after 8 p.m., and bars and restaurants will be asked to close by that time.
“We don’t yet know the specifics of the new state of emergency... but I do somewhat question taking a sweeping approach, when there are establishments which have taken very strict measures to prevent virus transmissions,” Takayuki Fuse, head of Kirin Brewery Company.
Fuse said Kirin would accept any government decision, but added that he was deeply concerned about the impact of a second lockdown on the industry and jobs.
“The restaurant and bar industry is estimated to be worth 26 trillion yen, supporting the jobs of over 4 million people,” he said during a presentation to investors outlining the brewer’s strategy for the year.
Kirin and Asahi Group Holdings have been in a tight race for the top spot in Japanese beer sales.
Kirin’s beer sales fell 18.6 percent in Japan last year as the coronavirus discouraged gathering at bars and restaurants. It said on Wednesday that it was targeting a 17.2 percent rebound in 2021.
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