Shipments of beer and beerlike alcoholic beverages from the five major domestic brewers rose 2.5 percent in October from a year earlier for the third straight year-on-year increase as higher temperatures stimulated demand, industry groups said Friday.
Shipments by Kirin Brewery Co., Asahi Breweries Ltd., Suntory Ltd., Orion Breweries Ltd. and Sapporo Breweries Ltd. totaled 39.96 million cases for the period. One case holds 20, 633-ml bottles.
Shipments of so-called third-category beer -- beerlike sparkling alcoholic beverages subject to lower liquor taxes -- more than tripled to 6.83 million cases, accounting for 17.1 percent of total shipments in October.
Beer shipments posted a 2 percent rise to 22.6 million cases. The shipments increased for the first time in two months, helped by brisk sales of beer to restaurants.
"Happoshu" low-malt beer shipments fell 28.4 percent to 10.53 million cases, hit by explosive growth in sales of other beerlike beverages.
Happoshu shipments fell below the previous year's level for the 15th straight month.