Japan: Combined shipments of beer and "happoshu" low-malt beer by Japan's five top brewers in January 2004 dropped 11.4% versus the same period last year, according to reports released by the five brewers on February 12. Beer and happoshu shipments by Kirin Brewery Co, Asahi Breweries Ltd, Sapporo Holdings Ltd, Suntory Ltd and Orion Breweries Ltd totaled 24.23 million cases in January. One case holds 12.66 liters of happoshu or beer. Beer shipments fell 12.7% to 15.29 million cases, declining for the 46th month in a row. Shipments of happoshu shipments fell 8.9% to 8.94 million cases, down for the first time in three months. According to statistics from the top brewers, this was the first total year-on-year decline in two months. Brewers blamed a lack of product innovation in the month and heavy demand a month earlier for the fall.

13 February, 2004