The Japanese tend to drink low-malt happoshu on a daily basis, while they enjoy beer with visitors, a survey on drinking habits revealed. According to the results of the survey, conducted by Hi-Ho Marketing Services Inc., a marketing research firm affiliated with Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., the largest number of respondents, 72 %, said they drank beer as an alcoholic beverage they have at home, slightly higher than the 69.1 % who said they drank happoshu. However, in terms of frequency, 23.1 % of those responding said they drink happoshu almost every day, while only 8.3 % said they drank beer on a daily basis.

In terms of frequency, 22.4 %, the largest segment, said they drank beer once a week. 18% of respondents said they served happoshu when they have company, while 29.8 % said they served beer on such occasions.

22 July, 2003