As the summer heats up, the beer is flowing around backyard barbecue grills and rooftop beer gardens in city centers. And this year, a recovering economy is putting a little extra fizz into beer sales.
"I love beer," declared Akihiro Seki, a 39-year-old insurance accountant, downing his fifth icy glass in the muggy open air of a beer garden. "We know the economy's getting better, so we feel more confident spending a little extra."
Beer shipments are on the rise for the first time in a decade as the world's second-largest economy toasts a recovery that is gathering pace after years in the doldrums. But the long-term future of Japan's 2.85 trillion yen beer industry is anything but bubbly.