Japan, Tokyo: Asahi Breweries Ltd., Japan's top brewer, announced on January 5 it expects its combined shipments volume of beer and low-malt "happoshu" to rise 1.7 % in 2005 to 207.4 million cases. The brewer, known for its "Super Dry" beer, said the Japanese market for beer and happoshu had stayed flat at 204 million cases in 2004 as alternative alcoholic drinks such as those based on shochu, a distilled alcohol that can be made from sweet potatoes, gained in popularity in Japan.

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