Are Japanese Alcoholics?

[DoctorP]

Ok, maybe alcoholic isn't the right word...and I know you can not make a generalization that ALL Japanese people are anything, but from what I have observed, every Japanese/Okinawan person that I know loves to drink! In fact I think that in 9 years I have only met 3 Japanese people who rarely or never drink.

Now I know that just because they love to drink, doesn't in itself mean anything, but they drink quite often! Bars are often open until the sun comes up, and I know of many people who barely get any sleep before going in to work, only to need naps during the day in order to get through their shifts.

Don't get me wrong...I drink too! I don't drink everyday, but I will quite often have two or three beers. A lot of my Japanese friends will start with beer, then switch to mixed drinks or sake or awamori.

What are your observations?

I apologize if this thread offends anyone (especially our Japanese members) it is not meant to, and I am not judging anyone. I am strictly curious if others view it this way too or is it just me?

 

[Davey]

well as far as i know.. Japanese can get Drunk verry Fast ( especialy my girl ,, hehehe)

but the love to drink yes! i havnt been to japan myself, but lived with 6 japanese in sydney ( infront of EXCLUSIVE KARaOke -bar) and we had lots of drinking games, ( trowing up in the room, was normal sometimes.. Yes i know,,, NOT NICE) but they love to drink, do games with it... and Mix also!!! we mixed beer-whine-wiskey-juice-and gin together....

 

[Tim33]

I have generally found they drink less then English people. They have other things for entertainment over there other then pubs which is generally all we have in England.

However they still do drink a fair bit. What you have to remember is that Japanese bodies do not allow them to drink much. They were not brought up on the same quantities of alcohol that many Europeans were. European can drink much more alcohol without getting drunk then Japanese people can.

In this view you may indeed be right, for even if they drink less it may still have more of an effect on them then it does on European people.

So i would say yes and no to your question.

 

[Numark]

From what I have heard, the most important factor is that there is a huge social pressure to drink in Japan (for businessmen). When businessmen go out to the bars after work, they are with thier boss. Many important business decisions are made there and they can't afford to miss those groupings. A (relatively) large percentage of asian people have a toxicity to alcohol, and even still, some men drink because they feel they have to if they want to climb the corporate ladder.

 

[DoctorP]

From what I have heard, the most important factor is that there is a huge social pressure to drink in Japan (for businessmen). When businessmen go out to the bars after work, they are with thier boss. Many important business decisions are made there and they can't afford to miss those groupings. A (relatively) large percentage of asian people have a toxicity to alcohol, and even still, some men drink because they feel they have to if they want to climb the corporate ladder.

You make a good point, that may explain why I get such strange looks when I refuse to drink sometimes. I have no problem with telling someone that I can not/ or don't feel like drinking, no matter how much I am pressed by my host.

One reason I thought of this thread, was that I met with some friends last night before coming to work and I had to keep refusing to drink. (My shift starts at midnight!)

 

[misa.j]

I think a lot of Japanese people drink to lubricate whatever social situations they are in. That is why they like to drink with their bosses, business partners, or collegues.
I don't think women drink as much as men do, a lot of my friends are allergic to alcohol.

 

[MeAndroo]

As long as we're talking about tolerances here, the reason that Asian people in general tend to have lower ones is not because they weren't raised with it, it's because their enzyme specifically designed to help break down alcohol is mutated. It's called aldetaldehyde dehydrogenase and is located in the liver. The body isn't able to break down alcohol as quickly, and the body has what is basically an allergic reaction to a buildup of the enzyme. It affects all Asians, not just Japanese.

In my experience, you never get rid of the flush, but you can increase your tolerances by pushing the limits of your alcohol use. (See MeAndroo's 1st year of College.)

I repeatedly ran into people who couldn't stand drinking while I was in Japan. Most of them stated the obvious reasons (hangovers, taste), but some were just turned off by the behavior of rowdy, drunk people in the streets. You can see why we never invited those people out

 

[cicatriz esp]

Most of the Japanese I've socialized with either couldn't drink at all because of the previously stated allergy, or simply could not hold their liquor. Sometimes this was frustrating, sometimes amusing.

None of them would smoke marijuana as an alternative either, because mostly they would put it on the same level as cocaine or heroin (one girl even thought you snorted marijuana) in terms of health risk and legal penalties.

 

[FireyRei]

Drinking a lot at a certain time is in no way alchoholic. Drinking too much is just plain stupid and will damage your health.

 

[Tim33]

As long as we're talking about tolerances here, the reason that Asian people in general tend to have lower ones is not because they weren't raised with it, it's because their enzyme specifically designed to help break down alcohol is mutated. It's called aldetaldehyde dehydrogenase and is located in the liver. The body isn't able to break down alcohol as quickly, and the body has what is basically an allergic reaction to a buildup of the enzyme. It affects all Asians, not just Japanese.

That is prett much what i meant yes however i did not know about this to the extent you just explained. I would just like to say thank you for sharing this

 

[Hiroyuki Nagashima]

It is supposed that the Tohoku district in Japan and people of Kyushu and Okinawa like alcohol.
Liquor ofﾂ Kyusyu "shochu"
Liquor ofﾂ Okinawa "Awamori"
Northeastern liquor "sake"
When you drink liquor with a Japanese friend, please ask it what hometown he is.
Please try to ask what kind of liquor you like.

 

[cicatriz esp]

That's interesting, Nagashima san. I will do that.

 

[Mycernius]

However they still do drink a fair bit. What you have to remember is that Japanese bodies do not allow them to drink much. They were not brought up on the same quantities of alcohol that many Europeans were. European can drink much more alcohol without getting drunk then Japanese people can.

That's almost hit the nail on the head. Historically it has something to do with how drinking water was treated in past times. In asia it was made into non-alcohloc drinks, thus asian biology never built up the emzymes to effectivly break down alcohol, as mentioned by MeAndroo san. In europe the water was made into alcoholic drinks. Over time Europeans built up a greater resistance to alcohol as our bodies adapted to it. The same can be seen by the way alcohol affected native americans Again their culture had no mass alcohol practice and they also had a low tolerance to alcohol. Us Europeans are just a bunch of pissheads. The same thing can be seen with milk and the fact a lot of Japanese are lactose intolerant. They have no history of drinking great quanties of moo juice compared to Europeans. Their bodies are not adapted as much as ours to drinking milk or eating dairy products.

 

[Tim33]

Generally they are lucky for this. I mean the main reason to drink alcohol is to get drunk and have a good time. If they only have to drink half we do they that means they can spend half the money. No wonder the Japanese all have the money to keep buying each other gifts.

 

[Rickmaster]

The japanese drink nothing compar to the youth in Holland.

 

[xelmo368x]

well, it takes alot of practice to build up alcohol tolerance, but even the Japanese can do it. Beer Kudasai!!

 

[Rukasu]

The japanese drink nothing compar to the youth in Holland.

That might be true.
We really drink a lot here

 

[RockLee]

Another thing is , the Japanese youth can drink beer from age 20(legally ) ofcourse they sip on otousan's sake bottle now and then and drink before turning 20.It's more a way to relax for a lot of older people...come home from work, get a massage....eat something...relax and drink some beer.Ofcourse the social thing has to do with it

 

[Rukasu]

It would be really strange for me if I would go to japan.
Legal drinking age here is 16 years, and most people (including myself) really drink a lot even on that age.
It would feel really strange if I would go to japan and not be able to drink legally.