Shipments of beer and beerlike alcohol by five Japanese brewers rose 3.9 percent in September from a year before for the second straight monthly increase on the back of high temperatures, according to industry figures released Thursday.
The shipments by Kirin Brewery Co., Asahi Breweries Ltd., Suntory Ltd., Orion Breweries Ltd. and Sapporo Breweries Ltd. totaled 42.98 million cases during the period. One case holds 12.66 liters, the equivalent of 20 633-ml bottles.
Shipments of so-called third-category beer -- a malt-free beerlike alcoholic drink subject to lower liquor taxes -- jumped 3.3-fold to 8 million cases.