JAPAN IS UP AND RUNNING AGAIN. IT IS THE 6TH BIGGEST WINE IMPORTER AND 16TH CONSUMER IN THE WORLD, REVEALED WINE INTELLIGENCE AND IS BETTING ON THE MATURITY AND INTEREST OF ITS 36.1 MILLION CONSUMERS

Japan is certainly the most mature of the Asian markets and, after several low years, numbers are finally reassuring. Japan closed 2015 at number 6 among wine importers, with 186.383 hectoliters and a turnover of 950 million dollars. Italy is one of its main partners, with 34.706 hectoliters shipped, behind France and Chile, at 51.000 hectoliters. The Wine Intelligence (www.wineintelligence.com) report, "Japan Landscapes 2016" showed significant growth, not only in numbers, but also in the approach to the wine world.
The report revealed that there are more and more consumers fascinated and interested in wine: 51% of Japanese drink wine at least once a month, compared to 40% in 2014, and those who are always looking for something new, grew from 21% to 27%.
However, the majority of Japanese wine lovers prefer domestic wine (52%), while 44% said they drank Chilean wine within the last month (39% in 2014), which means that France slips down to third place in preferences, while remaining the most popular and well-known producer (78% of regular drinkers), although the popularity of Bordeaux and Burgundy is not the same as it once was. Overall, Japan is number 16 on the market in the world in total consumption, with 480 million bottles uncorked in 2014, and a total of 36.1 million regular drinkers. According to the "Wine Intelligence Compass tool", it is the third most attractive market in the world, according to economic data and wine consumption performance.
"The Japanese market” said the Wine Intelligence COO, Richard Halstead, “is often overlooked in favor of the Chinese, but the per capita consumption of wine is much higher, at 8.7 liters consumed per year and is continuing to grow; plus, it can count on more interested and mature consumers.