Domestic wine and Japanese wine are different
The Japanese Wine Lovers Association was established in November 2018 to spread the appeal of Japanese wine.
Actor Takuro Tatsumi will serve as chairman, and the association will restart as a general incorporated association in September 2025. A social gathering to announce the news was held at Zarai Oita in Ginza in February of this year.
Chairman Tatsumi opened the discussion.
"I served as vice president of the Japan Wine Lovers Association for 15 years, and was appointed president midway through. However, I disbanded the association shortly thereafter. This was because the term 'Japan Wine' was approved in 2018, and my role had come to an end."
By the way, "domestic wine" and "Japanese wine" are completely different things.
Domestic wine: Wine brewed and bottled at a winery in Japan, regardless of whether the grapes are from Japan or overseas.
Japanese wine: Wine brewed in Japan using only grapes grown or harvested in Japan.
"We have now re-formed the group as the 'Japanese Wine Lovers Association.' We felt that rather than just being a gathering of wine lovers where we could enjoy Japanese wine, we needed to do something that would benefit Japan.
Last year, the association became a general incorporated association, and what I really want to do from now on is support regional areas. That means regional revitalization, and I want to support Japan's primary industries, as well as food culture and regional culture."
On this day, over 50 types of wine were served from Hokkaido to Miyazaki.
The number of wineries has doubled to 500 in the last decade
The second speaker to take the stage was none other than Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Masayoshi Hayashi, who is known as a wine connoisseur.
"I have a very long-standing relationship with Chairman Tatsumi through wine. I received the title of Honorary Sommelier in 2017, when I was Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. At that time, I was working hard to support Japanese wine and promote it in Europe.
The other day, I went to Nagano's Chikuma River Wine Valley, where I learned that while there were only 20 wineries 10 years ago, there are now over 100. As the Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications, I am also in charge of regional revitalization, so I would like to do my best to revitalize the region with wine at its core."
As of 2018, there were approximately 260 wineries in Japan, but this has now increased to 500.
That said, there are problems, too, as pointed out by sommelier Shinya Tasaki, who took to the stage next.
"The number of wineries in Japan has almost doubled in the last 10 years. However, production volume has remained almost unchanged. In other words, they are currently competing for consumers.
Moreover, the current situation is that 60% of newly established wineries with less than 100 kiloliters of production that have been in operation for more than three years are still operating at a loss.
To break away from this, we need to create a system where each region can create a taste that can only be expressed in Japanese wine, and then strictly regulate this through legislation. We need to do exactly what is done in Europe."
However, there is some bright news.
"Compared to the past, it's true that the average taste has improved a lot. I think we need to do a lot to create an environment in Japan where Japanese wine is enjoyed by more and more people.
To achieve this, we first need to increase the number of drinkers and then create an association that can provide satisfaction to drinkers. I have high hopes for the activities of the Japan Wine Lovers Association in order to further develop Japanese wine in the future."
He apparently drinks about 1000 types of Japanese wine in a year.
Visited over 400 wineries
In addition to the activities of the association, the television program "Tatsumi Takuro's Wine Romance," which Chairman Tatsumi has planned and appeared on, is also important.
"My wine program started in 2006, so it will be 20 years since it began in March this year. I think it's important to continue doing something honestly. I think the world and the landscape we see today have really changed since 20 years ago."
The chairman has visited over 400 wineries over the past 20 years.
"When the show first started, I thought we'd be able to visit every winery, but the number just kept increasing.
As for what I should do from now on, of course I will continue to communicate. In addition to television, I have been running the radio program "Tatsumi Takuro's Japanese Wine Cheers!" for five and a half years. I am grateful to be able to continue broadcasting on public airwaves, and I am determined to embark on a new journey, with a view to reaffirming the value of Japanese wine and solving problems."
The winery tours supervised and accompanied by Tatsumi also seem to be very popular.
Text by Toshizumi Ishibashi
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Toshizumi Ishibashi
Former editor-in-chief of "Claire Traveler" and "Claire."
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