This study empirically analyzes changes in sake manufacturing firms using Census of Manufactures microdata (2001-2020) and POS data (January 2017-February 2023) for the sake industry, which has seen domestic consumption decline to a quarter of its peak (FY1975). From the Chow test and panel data time fixed effects analysis for the Census of Manufactures micro data, it was found that (1) after 2006, sake manufacturers began to shift their focus to relatively high-priced products, (2) after 2017, the relationship between direct export value and shipment value stabilizes, and (3) from the panel data product fixed effects analysis, it was derived that the declaration of the new coronavirus emergency in 2020 triggered an increase in prices for household products.

Rice is indispensable for sake making, and its brewing characteristics have been studied since the Meiji era. From the viewpoints of breeding and cultivation, some prefectures have been working on breeding their own varieties of sake rice in order to develop regional brands. Also, it has become critical to respond to global warming recently. The pandemic of COVID-19 caused an imbalance between the supply and demand of sake rice: however, the distribution of sake rice is not well known except to related parties. Thus, we organized a seminar of three lecturers to learn about sake rice from various aspects. This seminar was supported by Sakamai-Kenkyukai (the Society of Sake Rice Research), and many of its members attended, too. Here, we post the summaries of presentations, questions and answers, and general discussion with the consent of each lecturer.