Shipments of beer and beerlike alcoholic beverages by the nation's top five producers in November fell 3.5 percent year-on-year for the first drop in four months, industry figures showed Monday.
Shipments by Kirin Brewery Co., Asahi Breweries Ltd., Suntory Ltd., Orion Breweries Ltd. and Sapporo Breweries Ltd. came to 39.05 million cases during the month, according to the Brewers Association of Japan and beer makers. A case has 20 633-milliliter bottles.
Shipments of so-called third-category beer -- sparkling beerlike drinks with lower liquor taxes -- rose 220 percent to 7.22 million cases as brewers marketed new drinks.
The new beverages accounted for 18.5 percent of overall beer shipments.
Shipments of regular beer dropped 9.8 percent to 21.71 million cases for the first drop in two months. Shipments of low-malt "happoshu" sank 28.6 percent to 10.12 million cases, continuing its losing streak to a 16th straight month as brisk sales of third-category beer ate into the low-malt product.