Japan: Brewers increasing production anticipating hot weather this summer

Air conditioner makers and breweries in Japan are increasing their production, anticipating extremely hot weather this summer, The Japan News reported on July 13.

The Japan Meteorological Agency expects the average temperature in the coming month to become higher than in the average year in the Honshu, Kyushu and Shikoku regions.

Daikin Industries Ltd. raised this month’s production of air conditioners for sale in Japan by 10 percent from its initial plan.

Production at rival Mitsubishi Electric Corp. continues at full capacity in line with its plan to increase shipments by 10 percent in the fiscal first half ending in September from a year before.

A Daikin official said that demand temporarily slowed due to the recent heavy rain that hit western Japan but will grow if the sky clears up.

“The weather is likely to be extremely hot in the three-day weekend from Saturday, so we expect sales to rise,” said a Mitsubishi Electric official.

Kirin Brewery Co., a unit of Kirin Holdings Co., intends to increase the output of low-priced “third segment” quasi-beer products in July and August by 40 percent from a year earlier and that of overall beer products including “happoshu” low-malt beer-like beverages by 10 percent.

Asahi Breweries Ltd., a unit of Asahi Group Holdings Ltd., increased the production of canned “chuhai” spirits this month by 30 percent from its initial plan.

The number of visitors to the Toshimaen amusement park in Tokyo’s Nerima Ward rose 2 percent from a year before to some 15,000 between June 30, when swimming pool operations started for this summer, and Sunday, July 8.

“The visitor number is expected to rise further as the pool facilities are open every day starting Saturday,” a Toshimaen official said.

09 July, 2018