NEWS
JAPANESE GOVERNMENT IS SPEEDING UP GRANTING G.I. STATUS TO SAKES TO HELP EXPORT
By Susan Lewis
26-5-2021
Credit: Chuttersnap/Unsplash
Japan’s National Tax Agency granted Geographical Indication (GI) status to Yamanashi sake, the ninth GI granted to sake in Japan so far.
Yamanashi sake is the third region to have won GI status for its sake this year, following Tonenumata and Hagi region.
But the Yamanashi prefecture is the first ever region in Japan to have won GI status for both its sake and wine. Its GI for wine was granted back in 2013.
Home to the iconic Fuji mountain, Yamanashi brewers made their sakes with the soft water from the surrounding high mountains. Fermentation took place in deep winter in very cold weather resulting in a very slow fermentation process.
The resulting sake has a soft texture, and is pure and clear on the palette.
According to Japan’s Liqour Tax Act, in order to be considered “Yamanashi sake”, the producers have to use the soft water from designated river system. In addition, the sake should be made in Yamanashi and be stored and bottled in Yamanashi.
Yamanashi is the ninth region to have won GI status for sake in Japan. The first sake GI was “Hakusan”, recognized in 2005. Last year, two GIs for sake were recognized, and this year, up to now, already three GIs for sake have been approved: “Tonenumata”, “Hagi” and “Yamanashi”.
It’s worth noting that the prefecture of Nagano has applied for the simultaneous recognition of GIs for both its wine and sake as well.
Japan has accelerated the recognition of GI for sake due to the fast expansion of sake exports in recent years. Exports of sake in 2020 topped 24.1 billion yen (USD221.6 million), increasing by 3.1 percent from the previous year.
Granting GIs is considered to be an effective way to increase exports because the concept of GI is well understood internationally and the status can help the products be differentiated from others.
It is expected that the Japanese government will continue the current acceleration of granting GIs to sakes in the years to come.
(the writer can be contacted at: info@thewinechronicle.com)
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