Japan Keen to Tap Special Beer Demand during Rugby World Cup

September 22, 2019

Tokyo- Brewers and eateries in Japan are gearing up to tap special demand for beer during the 2019 Rugby World Cup in the country, which is expected to attract some 500,000 visitors from overseas.

Earnest efforts are being made to prevent beer inventories from running out at the 12 competition venues across Japan, and nearby restaurants and pubs.

In Britain and other countries where rugby is a major pastime, people, with a beer in hand, enjoy talking about games of the sport at stadiums, restaurants or pubs before, during and after the matches.

The organizing committee of the ongoing World Cup predicts that up to as much as 100,000 350-milliliter glasses of beer could be consumed per match at the stadium alone.

The committee has called on municipalities hosting the stadiums and eateries around the match venues to procure sufficient amounts of beer in advance, warning that a sold-out situation could spark complaints from spectators from abroad.

The World Cup kicked off on Friday, with Japan defeating Russia 30-10 in a Pool A match in the group stage, the only game played on the opening day.

Kirin Brewery Co. plans to increase production of Heineken brand beer by 3.4-fold in September from a year earlier, aiming to boost sales in the three months to November by 2.2-fold. Dutch brewer Heineken NV is a Worldwide Partner of the World Cup.

Hub Co., a British-style bar operator, has secured seven times as many barrels of beer as usual at its outlets near the competition venues, expecting that they would be "fully packed" when matches of the World Cup are played, a public relations official of the Tokyo-based company said.

"Izakaya" eatery operator Monteroza Co. will welcome rugby fans from overseas by offering foods and beers of participating countries at some 1,500 outlets, including those of the Shirokiya chain.

Meanwhile, beer demand from Japanese people is expected to surge prior to the consumption tax hike to 10 pct from 8 pct on Oct. 1. The tax rate will be kept at 8 pct for takeaway food items and nonalcoholic beverages, a measure designed to cushion the impact of the tax hike, while the rate will be 10 pct for alcoholic drinks, regardless of whether they are taken away or consumed at eateries.

Brewers expect consumers to buy popular beer in bulk before the tax hike.

This month, Suntory Beer Ltd. and Sapporo Breweries Ltd. are increasing production of beer and quasi-beer, including so-called third-segment beverages, by some 10 pct year on year. Asahi Breweries Ltd. is boosting output of canned "Super Dry" beer by about 20 pct. Jiji Press