Total shipments of beer and "happoshu" low-malt beer posted the first year-to-year rise in eight months in April, up 0.2 percent to 603,119 kiloliters, on hefty happoshu demand ahead of a May 1 tax hike.
According to data released Tuesday by Japan's five major breweries, happoshu shipments in April jumped 32.4 percent to 290,875 kl to account for an all-time high 48.2 percent of the beer-happoshu market. Beer shipments fell 18.3 percent to 312,244 kl.
The breweries -- Asahi Breweries Ltd., Kirin Brewery Co., Sapporo Breweries Ltd., Suntory Ltd. and Orion Breweries Ltd. -- saw the happoshu market share begin surging this year from 33.7 percent in December after the government's decision to increase the tax on happoshu.
With the tax hike, the brewers' suggested retail price of happoshu was raised by 10 yen from the earlier price of 135 yen for a 350-ml can and by 16 yen from 185 yen for a 500-ml can.
Concerned that higher prices might trigger a sharp decline in happoshu demand, the breweries have begun a new round of sales pitches and plan to launch new brands.