Shipments of beer and beerlike alcoholic beverages by the top five breweries fell 3.1 percent in 2005 for the first decline in two years due to the colder than usual winter, industry figures showed Tuesday.
The downturn also reflects how strong sales were boosted by the hot summer of 2004, according to the Brewers Association of Japan and beer makers.
Shipments by Kirin Brewery Co., Asahi Breweries Ltd., Suntory Ltd., Orion Breweries Ltd. and Sapporo Breweries Ltd. came to 501.01 million cases. One case holds 20 633-milliliter bottles.
Beer shipments dropped 7.9 percent to 282.33 million cases, marking the ninth consecutive year of decline. Shipments of "happoshu" low-malt beer slumped 24.8 percent to 139.26 million cases -- the third straight year of decline.
But shipments of so-called third-category beer, including beerlike sparkling drinks, showed sharp growth.