JAPAN: Sapporo sees first rise in market share for five years

Sapporo Breweries, the last of Japan's big four brewers to report its 2001 figures, said today it had posted a 0.7% rise in sales of beer and low-malt "happoshu". It also said that sales were forecast to extend to a 2% rise in 2002. Sapporo's figures mean it maintains its position as the country's third largest brewer with an estimated 15% share of the market. Although the company still trails leaders Kirin and Asahi, the results did constitute the first rise in market share for the company in five years.