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When Japan imposed export restrictions against us in 2019, there was a movement not to buy or use Japanese goods, but nowadays that has quieted down.

Recently, the number of people seeking Japanese beer, clothing, and cars has increased again, and reporter Je Hee-won covered the reaction of consumers.

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There is a notice on the
shelves of large supermarkets saying that beer is out of stock.

The limited-edition Japanese beer earlier this month went viral, causing sales to skyrocket.

[Convenience store official: The highest order volume (ever) has come in, and as soon as we first started (sales), the prepared volume itself is almost finished.]

Japanese beer, which was virtually eliminated after the boycott, imported 1.88 billion won in the first quarter of this year, more than doubling from the same period last year.

That's back to 2% of what it was just before the boycott.

Japanese clothing company UNIQLO was hit hard enough to close more than 60 stores.

It began to expand its stores again and ranked first in sales in the domestic SPA apparel market.

Similarly, Toyota Lexus sales are up 60% this year from a year ago.

Yen makes traveling to Japan cheaper, and 1 in 1 foreign tourists visiting Japan are Koreans.

[Kim Nam-hyung/Seodaemun-gu in Seoul: Japan is also a relatively easy place to go. The reluctance (toward Japan) seems to have disappeared a bit.]

It is an analysis that the consumption trend of the younger generation, which perceives history and economy separately, has had an impact.

There is a different atmosphere than it was a few years ago, but some say they are still reluctant.

[Yoon Chae-won/Seongbuk-gu, Seoul: The boycott has spread in South Korea due to Comfort Women issues and historical issues. I want to continue (the boycott) unless Japan gives our country a solution or a solution.]

As the embers that sparked the conflict between Japan and South Korea, such as the discharge of contaminated water from nuclear plants, Comfort Women Statue issues and Dokdo, and the distortion of textbooks, are still there, companies are closely watching consumer reactions.

(Video Interview: Kim Won-bae, Video Editor: Lee So-young, CG: Eom So-min)