Japan's swelling ranks of working women have grape growers 10,000 miles away cheering.
Chilean vintners have emerged as the biggest beneficiary of Japan's booming wine market. Their low-priced, fruit-driven product has found a receptive niche among women in their 40s and 50s, who have helped boost wine consumption to a new record every year since 2012.
"Women drink more as their participation in the labor market is increasing, and their disposable incomes are expanding," said Naoko Kuga, an analyst who tracks lifestyle changes at NLI Research Institute in Tokyo. "This trend works positively for wine consumption."