Kirin Brewery Co. made an announcement on March 13 about the removal of an advertisement from their online platforms. The ad had debuted recently and showcased economist Yusuke Narita, known for his controversial statement in 2021 where he suggested that the elderly in Japan should commit mass suicide to address the country's population aging issue. Kirin Brewery explained that it was Narita's past extreme comments that prompted them to take down the advertisement.
The company clarified that they found Narita's remarks to be overly extreme and decided to feature him in the advertisement for Kirin Hyoketsu Sugar Free, a canned alcoholic beverage called "chuhai," to help promote the product. However, the choice to have Narita endorse the product backfired as social media users expressed outrage and called for a boycott of Kirin Brewery. In response to the feedback and public sentiment, Kirin Brewery reconsidered their decision and ultimately chose to withdraw the advertisement featuring Narita.
Kirin Brewery stated that their intention behind selecting Narita for the ad was to leverage his influence and communication skills to highlight the appeal of Kirin Hyoketsu and generate interest in the sugar-free chuhai drink among a broader audience. However, the negative reactions and the controversy surrounding Narita's past comments led the company to rethink their marketing strategy and take swift action to remove the advertisement from circulation.