Japan: Shipments of beer and "happoshu" beer-like alcoholic drinks in Japan in May fell 4.3 percent from a year before, posting the fifth straight drop, industry data showed June 11, according to JiJi Press.

Total shipments by five major brewers came to 37.2 million cases, according to data released by the brewers and the Brewers Association of Japan. Each case contains the equivalent of 20 633- milliliter bottles.

Shipments declined because of unfavorable weather on weekends, industry sources said. In addition, the number of business days in May was fewer than in May 2003, the sources said.

Beer shipments fell 11.9 percent to 22.9 million cases as shipments to restaurants slumped.

Happoshu shipments increased 11.1 percent to 14,3 million cases in reaction to slow sales in May 2003 after the liquor tax rate hike in that year.

The growth in happoshu shipments was weaker than expected, an official of Asahi Breweries Ltd. said.

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