Beer in Japan
Beer in Japan mostly comes from the country's four major breweries—Asahi, Kirin, Sapporo and Suntory—which mainly produce pale lagers around 5% ABV. Beer is widely consumed in Japan, and is often described in reference works as more popular than sake. In addition to standard beer, beer-like beverages made with lower levels of malt—legally and commercially distinguished in Japan—include happōshu (発泡酒) and other low- or non-malt “beer-taste” products, which have held a substantial share of the market in part because applicable liquor taxes vary by ingredients and malt content.