Naoyuki Ide is betting that a weaker yen will drive more Japanese people to drink his locally made craft beers.
The president of Yo-Ho Brewing Co. is boosting production capacity at the microbrewery in Nagano by 50 percent this year as he anticipates the currency's decline will force importers to raise prices for foreign brands, giving local craft brewers such as his a competitive edge.
"If the yen weakens more, they'll have to increase import beer prices in the near future," said Ide, whose company makes Yona Yona Ale and Tokyo Black beer. "Import beers cater to people's growing taste for beer with character, but if customers are looking for something distinct, they may choose our beer instead, because it'll be cheaper."