A spirits producers association is seeking to have its standards for Japanese whisky given legal force to stop products that are blended in Japan but with the use of imported whiskies from being marketed as "Japanese," as the brand gains a global foothold.
"It is essential (for Japanese whisky) to enhance its trustworthiness to become a worldwide brand," Daisuke Tsukahara, chief of the Japan Spirits & Liqueurs Makers Association, told a press conference in Tokyo in late March as the industry body prepared to file a request with the government for legislation.
The association aims to protect Japanese whisky by allowing producers to display geographical indication and manufacturing process and quality standards if their products meet the requirements, based on the precedents of Japanese wine and sake, it said.
Among the requirements under the definition for Japanese whisky set by the association, it needs to use water extracted in Japan and to be matured at a distillery in Japan for a period of at least three years.
It has also unveiled a new logo, featuring the letters "JW," an abbreviation for Japanese whisky, in the center that can be displayed on products made by the members of the association.
According to a survey conducted by the association last year, about 20 percent of merchandise labeled as "Japanese whisky" at stores in New York and Los Angeles did not fulfill its requirements.
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