Wine consumption in Japan

In 2020, the consumption volume of fruit wine in Japan amounted to around 347.7 thousand kiloliters. According to national liquor tax laws, fruit wines refer to alcoholic beverages made from fermented fruits as well as fruits wines aged with oak chips. Excluded from the classification are fortified fruit wines that have distilled liquors like brandy added to the fermented drink, which are considered a separate tax category.

Winemaking and Japanese wine

Wine comprises only a small segment within the Japanese alcoholic beverage market, being overshadowed by stronger performing fermented beverages like the beer and the sake markets. The domestic demand is covered predominantly by imported wine, whereas the processing of imported grapes being a significant contributor to domestically produced products. Japanese wines using ingredients from domestic vine cultivations are considered premium products, which are mainly a segment catered to by small independent businesses. The main prefectures in which wineries have agglomerated have gained a reputation for their local wines, which are taking advantage of the diversity in hybrid grape varieties suited for cultivation in Japan’s climate.

Wine market in Japan

The main targets of the Japanese wine industry are domestic consumers, with the sweeter tastes of the fermented beverage suited for the Japanese palette. While it fell behind in popularity compared to beer-like beverages for casual drinking at home, the Westernization of food and beverage industries supported the establishment of a steadily growing industry. Large manufacturers under the umbrella of successful beer and liquor manufacturers are catering to the wide mass with affordable table wine, whereas independent businesses have found their niche in the premium segment, with wine lovers enjoying the character imparted by domestically grown cultivars.