Japanese shipments of the low-malt beer fell by 30.2% in May this year versus May 2002. The decrease is attributed to the tax hike introduced in May on happoshu. This was the first monthly year-on-year decline on happoshu recorded for three months.

Japanese shipments of beer fell by 8.4% to 328.74 million litres. As for beer shipments that is the 38th consecutive monthly decline.

Total shipments of beer and happoshu suffered a decline of 17% to 491.724 million litres, after the first monthly increase in eight months in April.

13 June, 2003