Suntory, Mans Wine, and Mercian launch joint project for Japanese wine

Major Japanese beverage companies Suntory, Mans Wine, and Mercian have announced a collaborative project titled ‘Discover, Japan Wine’ to revitalize the domestic Japanese wine market. The initiative aims to address a decline in domestic consumers, which fell from approximately 3.14 million in 2022 to roughly 2.16 million in 2025, despite a significant increase in the number of domestic wineries and rising export volumes.

The three-year project, running from 2026 to 2028, seeks to increase the influx of new wine drinkers to 150% of 2025 levels by 2028. To achieve this, the companies will focus on three pillars: urban areas, restaurants, and production regions.

Initial efforts include participating in the ‘Marunouchi Japan Wine Weeks 2026’ to reach urban professionals and tourists. In 2027, the project will focus on fostering a culture around ‘new wine’ through collaborations with restaurants and local regions. By 2028, the companies plan to expand wine tourism to connect urban consumers with domestic vineyards. The project aims to dispel outdated perceptions that Japanese wine is exclusively sweet or intended only as souvenirs.