2 Alcoholic Beverages (Beer, Wine, Whisky, etc.) - ASEAN-Japan ...

C-2. Alcoholic Beverages (Beer, wine, whisky, etc.)
has decreased 6.5% over the past 5 years, with consumption per adult decreasing 8.3%.
Causes for the downward trend in the market in recent years include change in lifestyle, the economic
depression over the past several years, notably reduction of prices, lite-conscious trend, and diversification of
tastes. The number of young people who do not drink alcoholic beverages at all, or only drink low-alcoholic
beverages, has increased.
Among alcoholic beverages, beer is most favored by the Japanese, occupying 38.2% of the total annual
alcohol production amount. However, after the sale of happoshu began in 1994, the production amount and
total share of beer has continued to decrease with a 7.9% decrease in 2005 over the previous year. Furthermore,
sparkling malt beverage, so-called happoshu which increased production amount at the expense of beer, has
fallen into the negative area since the tax increase of happoshu in May 2005, and has decreased immensely
since that time, with a 25% decrease over the previous year. Instead, “beer-tasting drinks of the third
generation” (the so-called third beer that statistically corresponds to a hybrid), which do not use malt or oats,
have replaced the consumption amount of happoshu. Following the big hit of “Draft-One" by Sapporo Beer,
Suntory, Kirin Beer, and Asahi Beer also entered into the third beer market, and in 2004, the production amount
greatly expanded to 16 times that of the previous year, then 3.6 times in 2005.
Liqueurs and spirits also steadily increased, since they are necessary to make cocktails, which are popular
among women and shochu-based canned beverage. Shochu (distilled spirits)-based beverages are original to
Japan where fruit flavored soda water, such as lemon, grapefruit, or orange, is added to a distilled alcoholic
base such as shochu, neutral spirits (raw material alcohol), or vodka. These beverages are sold at a low-price
(approximately 120-150 yen for a 350ml can), and have a low-alcohol content (about 5-7% alcohol). For
example, Kirin began sale of “Hyoketsu” in 2001, which soon became popular among young people and
women, and other companies soon followed. Each company seeks to differentiate itself from its competitors
in one way or another in order to increase its market share by adding low-calorie products in response to health
trends or seasonal products.
For several years, a downward trend in the consumption volume of wine (fruit wine) could be seen, but in
2005, a positive increase of 2.2% over the previous year was experienced, due in part by a boom in sparkling
wines, including champagne.
The peak of the shochu boom also seems to have passed, but sales are still steady (0.0% increase over the
previous year), and the market is led by popular large-volume bottles in A Class that focus on low-price
products, and potato shochu and Awamori in B Class.
Fig. 1 Japanese consumption of alcoholic beverages (2005)
Total annual
consumption
(kl)
Percentag
e of total
Per capita
consumption
(ml)
Yearly
change
Beer 3,606,826 38.2 34,805 92.1
Happoshu 1,782,154 18.9 17,197 75.0
Miscellaneous
liquor
887,349 9.4 8,563 361.4
Japanese sake 737,676 7.8 7,118 96.7
Japanese
shochu
1,047,193 11.1 10,105 100.0
Liqueur 778,244 8.2 7,510 109.7
Spirits 78,289 0.8 755 99.0
Fruit wine 259,683 2.7 2,506 102.2
Whisky 95,234 1,0 919 95.9
Others 174,454 1.9 1,684 ――
TOTAL 9,447,102 100.0 91,162 97.8
Marketing Guide for ASEAN Exporters to Japan
186
On the other hand, the consumption amount of
high-alcohol content whisky and sake has decreased,
influenced by the trend for low-alcohol, with a 4.1%
and 3.3% decrease, respectively, over the previous year.
However, the industry assumes that the downward
trend over the past several years has eased due to
single malt whisky gaining popularity and the boom in
Japanese sake, especially with women.
In contrast to the trend towards low-price, the number
of people who still demand genuine quality, even at a
higher price, has also increased, not just for single malt
whisky as mentioned above, but also for premium beer
and premium shochu products, with a steady expansion
of the support base. As a result, a polarization of the
market has developed.
Source: Bureau of Statistics, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.
Note) Production amount of alcohol is based on the taxable amount, according to the Tax Administration Agency (total amount of products
produced in Japan or imported).
Consumption volume per person is calculated based on the adult population.