TOKYO – A Japanese sake brewery has warned against binge drinking at home as more Japanese are expected to hunker down indoors after the government stepped up calls for people to stay at home to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

Asahi Shuzo, whose premium Dassai is served in high-end restaurants worldwide, said imbibing at home was not a bad thing – as long as tipplers avoided going too deep in their cups.

“When you can’t go out, the stress will gradually get to you. So it’s important to seek relief by playing games or enjoying a drink,” the company said on its website.

“We suggest drinking a moderate amount, slowly,” it said.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe declared a state of emergency on Tuesday. The move stopped short of imposing a formal lockdown as seen in other countries, but gives authorities more power to press people to stay at home and businesses to close.