now on bbc news, the bbc�*s mariko oi travels across japan to see what impact new funding may have onh and explores whether it has the potential to be asia's silicon valley. home of nintendo and the bullet train, japan was once a pioneer in innovation, but then fresh global competition emerged. i'm heading home to meet the next generation of entrepreneurs across a country where starting your own business wasn't always seen as an ideal career choice. for many areas, start—ups have kind of disadvantages injapan, but from now it'll be changed. the government is putting its weight behind this and has tapped into its huge pension fund, worth $1.5 trillion, hoping to increase the number of starters by ten fold over the next five years. they want to encourage a spirit of enterprise in every corner of the land. i've come to tokushima. it's a bit of a backwater, and hasn't got a reputation of being a thriving area. but it has been trying to reinvent itself as a place for start—ups, and in recent years, a local company has hit the jackpot by taking its new venture across the country. this littl

mariko oi has more.their daily lives, even at work, believing that going out for drinks may help with business negotiations. but that has been changing because stagnant salaries mean japan's young adults are not drinking as much alcohol as their parents�* generation. and according to the government figures, people are only drinking three quarters of what they used to in the mid—90s and that is affecting the country's budget. its alcohol tax revenue was already falling but in 2020, due to pandemic restrictions, it suffered the biggest fall in over three decades. keen to change that, the japanese government has now launched a nationwide competition called the sake viva, asking for ideas to encourage people in their 20s and 30s to drink more alcohol. not surprisingly, the competition has been criticised for promoting an unhealthy habit. iam allfor i am all for it. marika oi there. stay with us on bbc news. still to come: we'll tell you what this inflatable structure in the uk has to do with living on mars.

my colleague mariko oi has more.cohol as part of their daily lives, even at work, believing that going out for drinks may help with business negotiations. but that has been changing because stagnant salaries mean japan's young adults are not drinking as much alcohol as their parents' generation. and according to the government figures, people are only drinking three quarters of what they used to in the mid—90s and that is affecting the country's budget. its alcohol tax revenue was already falling but in 2020, due to pandemic restrictions, it suffered the biggest fall in over three decades. keen to change that, the japanese government has now launched a nationwide competition called the sake viva, asking for ideas to encourage people in their 20s and 30s to drink more alcohol. not surprisingly, the competition has been criticised for promoting an unhealthy habit. you're watching newsday on the bbc. still to come on the programme: we hear from the former australian prime minister kevin rudd on the esclating tensions be

mariko oi has more. for revenue from alcohol tax. mariko oi has more. ., ., ., , ., , has more.k, believing going out for drinks helps with business negotiations. that's been changing because salaries mean young adults are not drinking as much alcohol as their parents generation. and according to government figures, people that only drink three quarters of what they use to in the 19905, quarters of what they use to in the 1990s, and that's affecting the country's budget. it's alcohol tax revenue was already falling, but in 2020, do to pandemic restrictions, it suffered the biggest fall in over a decade —— in decades. now the government has launched a nationwide competition called the sock a viva, encouraging people in their 20s and 30s to drink more alcohol — but not surprisingly the competition has been criticised for promoting an unhealthy habit. i’m been criticised for promoting an unhealthy habit.— been criticised for promoting an unhealthy habit. i'm really curious about how it _ unhealthy habit. i'm really curious about how it will— unhealthy habit. i'm really curious abou

my colleague mariko oi has more.g out for drinks helps with business negotiations. that's been changing because stagnant salaries mean young adults are not drinking as much alcohol as their parents generation. and according to government figures, people that only drink three quarters of what they used to in the 1990s, and that's affecting the country's budget. it's alcohol tax revenue was already falling, but in 2020, do to pandemic restrictions, it suffered its biggest fall in decades. now, the government has launched a nationwide competition called sake viva, encouraging people in their 20s and 30s to drink more alcohol — but not surprisingly the competition has been criticised for promoting an unhealthy habit. to algeria now — which has been ravaged by wildfires this summer. at least 38 people are believed to have died and hundreds others were injured in forest fires that swept through 1a districts of northern algeria on wednesday. the country's interior minister kamel beldjoud told state television that 2a people

my colleague mariko oi has more.daily life, even at work, believing that going out for drinks helps with business negotiations. that's been changing because stagnant salaries mean japan's young adults are not drinking as much alcohol as their parents generation. and according to government figures, people that only drink three quarters of what they used to in the 19905, and that's affecting the country's budget. it's alcohol tax revenue was already falling, but in 2020, due to pandemic restrictions, it suffered its biggest fall in over 3 decades. now, the government has launched a nationwide competition called sake viva, encouraging people in their 205 and 305 to drink more alcohol — but not surprisingly the competition has been criticised for promoting an unhealthy habit. you're watching newsday on the bbc. still to come on the programme. we'll be hearing from the former australian prime minister kevin rudd on the esclating tensions between china and taiwan. that's coming up shortly so stay with us. washington, the

mariko oi has more.aily lives, even at work, believing that going out for drinks may help with business negotiations. but that has been changing because stagnant salaries mean japan's young adults are not drinking as much alcohol as their parents' generation. and according to the government figures, people are only drinking three quarters of what they used to in the mid—90s and that is affecting the country's budget. its alcohol tax revenue was already falling but in 2020, due to pandemic restrictions, it suffered the biggest fall in over three decades. keen to change that, the japanese government has now launched a nationwide competition called the sake viva, asking for ideas to encourage people in their 20s and 30s to drink more alcohol. not surprisingly, the competition has been criticised for promoting an unhealthy habit. you an unhealthy habit. come to my house and i will teach you come to my house and i will teach you how to drink. time for a look at the sport now. hello, i'm gavin ramjaun, and thi

as part of our new tech economyjapan series, mariko oi followed a mobile supermarket to see how it'sfor the less tech savvy older generation. this little truck offers a lifeline to thousands of elderly who live in a remote area like this. it isa it is a supermarket on wheels called tokeshimaru. one of the drivers is making a small stop. you are than 5000 people live here. all of its customers are over 75. translation: , , over75. translation: , , ., translation: he remembers what i want to buy _ translation: he remembers what i want to buy every _ translation: he remembers what i want to buy every week. _ translation: he remembers what i want to buy every week. if - translation: he remembers what i want to buy every week. if my - i want to buy every week. if my grandkids are coming on sunday, i request something special. it's nice to be able to chat with friends after my shopping. the company was founded a decade ago with only two drugs in this area. today, it has got more than 1000 of these on the road acrossjapan more than 1000 of these on the road across japan with annual sales to

here's our asia business reporter, mariko oi.e are only drinking three quarters of what they used to in the mid—'90s and that's affecting the country's budget. its alcohol tax revenue was already falling, but in 2020, due to pandemic restrictions, it suffered the biggest fall in over three decades. keen to change that, the japanese government has now launched a nationwide competition called the sake viva, let me ask you, victoria. there must be better ways of generating more tax surely than encouraging people to drink. it tax surely than encouraging people to drink. . . tax surely than encouraging people to drink. , ., . ., , tax surely than encouraging people to drink. _,. ., ,., ,, to drink. it is a curious approach. what would _ to drink. it is a curious approach. what would concern _ to drink. it is a curious approach. what would concern me - to drink. it is a curious approach. what would concern me is i to drink. it is a curious approach. what would concern me is what l to drink. it is a curious approach. i what would concer