Combined shipments of beer and "happoshu," its low-malt cousin, among the nation's five top brewers slipped 9.1 percent in April from a year ago, according to reports released Monday.
This marks a fourth monthly year-on-year fall, according to the reports.
Beer and happoshu shipments by Kirin Brewery Co., Asahi Breweries Ltd., Sapporo Holdings Ltd., Suntory Ltd. and Orion Breweries Ltd. totaled 43.29 million cases in the reporting month.
One case holds 12.66 liters, or the equivalent of 20 633-milliliter bottles.
The brewers blamed the slide primarily on a 25.4 percent dive in shipments of happoshu, following a sharp increase in April 2003 ahead of a tax hike on the beverage.
In contrast, beer shipments posted a 6.1 percent increase to 26.15 million cases due to a rise in consumption stemming from the warm weather. This was the first rise of more than 5 percent since January 1998.
The brewers also attributed the rise in beer consumption to new products, and greater consumption at restaurants and bars.