Meal and alcohol

Alcoholic beverages are indivisible part of culinary culture in Europe and Americas. It is hard to imagine a dinner table without wine (or beer) in these countries, though the population of “sober-curious” lifestyle are gradually increasing nowadays.

What surprises Japanese expats in Europe and America is their relatively “loose” regulation of drunk driving compared with that in Japan in which just “licking” beer before driving constitutes almost a crime in Japan. But it doesn’t mean that the Japanese can enjoy a glass of beer at a restaurant only accessible by car. We should know another critical fact that around. 40% of our population has inborn deficiency of two enzymes that decompose alcohol in body, while for white and black people, it is just 1-2%.

I think those who do business with Japanese, or work with Japanese expats are well aware that they get easily drunk by alcohol. Please advise them to avoid drinking before driving.

Just a few examples of thousands of Belgian beer brands in a restaurant in Porte de Hal, Brussels….
All of us came by metro and taxi!