Head of Regional Tax Bureau Discusses Support for Noto's Sake Breweries

In Japan, the National Tax Agency, the country’s tax authority, is responsible not only for collecting liquor tax but also for managing sake brewing licences and promoting the alcoholic drinks industry. A new director has taken up the post at its regional office in Kanazawa, which covers Ishikawa Prefecture and the surrounding area. Hidetoshi Funaki, who assumed the role on 10 July, spoke at his inaugural press conference on 21 July about his visit to sake breweries in the Noto region, which suffered severe damage in the 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake, and said that promoting the alcoholic drinks industry would be one of the pillars of recovery support.

Why a Tax Authority Backs Sake Breweries

Mr Funaki, 59, was born in Shari, Hokkaido. He joined the national tax service in 1985 and went on to serve as head of the Investigation and Inspection Department at the Kanazawa Regional Taxation Bureau and as head of the General Affairs Department at the Sapporo Regional Taxation Bureau before his appointment as director. At the press conference he described the Noto region as “one of the country’s leading sake-producing areas” and said that reviving the brewing industry would help the region to recover. In Japan, regional taxation bureaus deal with industry associations and breweries on a daily basis, and they are in a position to support efforts to expand sales channels and improve quality. Noto is also known as the home of the Noto Toji, a guild of master sake brewers.

Consideration for Disaster Victims Continues

The blanket extension of national tax payment deadlines introduced after the earthquake ended at the end of October 2025. However, Mr Funaki explained that extensions tailored to individual circumstances are still available, and he said the bureau would continue to respond carefully and sympathetically to those affected. For breweries whose buildings and equipment were damaged and which are still rebuilding, flexible treatment on tax matters is also a help in keeping their businesses going.

Enjoying Noto Sake in Europe

The rebuilding of Noto’s sake breweries is a story still in progress, moving forward through a combination of official support and the efforts of the brewers themselves. When choosing sake in Europe, look at the label or the importer’s description to see whether it comes from Ishikawa Prefecture, and in particular the Noto Peninsula. Many Noto sakes are said to have been brewed to go with seafood. You might pair one with white fish or shellfish, or serve it in a wine glass and enjoy how the aroma changes as it warms slightly. Choosing a bottle is one way of supporting the recovery from afar.