Drinking for socializing on the decline for Gen Z in Japan

Back home in Australia, drinking is still one of the biggest ways people connect. Once I could legally drink, it was very normal to spend Friday nights after work with colleagues at the pub, getting together with friends on a weekend for a couple of rounds, or the like. I'm no longer "young" but I don't imagine much has changed. 

Interestingly though, that seems to be shifting here, with surveys showing that around 60 percent of Japanese in their twenties drink little to no alcohol. Cafes are often chosen over bars, and more places are offering mocktails or low-alcohol options. 

The article above mentions the pandemic as one big factor in that (obviously tons of places just weren't open), but I also think this generation simply values other things. Especially with the plethora of options to spend time online (for better or worse), drinking is no longer seen as essential for socializing. I also wonder if it's partly financially driven, with people finding that it's just not something they're wanting to spend money on. 

Do you think drinking as a form of socializing is on the decline in your home country?