Japan's Kirin Brewery overtakes Asahi Breweries as the market leader for beer

Even as Japan's top Kirin Brewery Co returned to the top as Japan's largest brewer, it has denied media reports of a proposed merger with third-placed Suntory.

Long-time market leader by sales  in the Japanese beer market, Kirin beat its longtime arch-rival Asahi Breweries Ltd, to return as the market leader after three years in the beer and beer-like alcoholic beverages segment in the first half of 2009.

Kirin once again the top seller in the January-June period, capturing a market share of 37.5 per cent, according to reports.

Kirin's product range include Ichiban Shibori draft beer, followed by Kirin Tanrei happo-shu, and ''new genre'' Nodogoshi Nama beverages.

The sales of Kirin's lower-priced ''third-category beer'' products, including Nodogoshi Nama and the new 100-per cent malt Ichiban Shibori beer led to the company's shipment rising 2.5 per cent to 81.46 million cases from a year earlier.

Rival Asahi fell to the second place capturing  a market share of 36.9 per cent. The company's shipment fell 1.3 per cent to 80.09 million cases due to the drop in the conventional beer market, where it has a strong hold.