日本主要啤酒企业正在翻新旗舰产品，并将类啤酒产品重新归类为啤酒，以应对周四实施的啤酒及相关产品酒税统一。
Major Japanese beer companies are revamping flagship products and reclassifying quasi-beer items as beer in preparation for Thursday’s unification of liquor taxes on beer and related products.
分析人士表示，随着税率变化缩小啤酒、发泡酒类啤酒产品以及被称为第三类啤酒的啤酒风味饮料之间的价格差异，需求预计将回流至啤酒，竞争将加剧。
As the tax rate change will narrow the price differences among beer, happōshu quasi-beer products and beer-like beverages known as third-segment beer, demand is expected to shift back to beer and intensify competitions, analysts said.
目前，啤酒及相关产品主要根据麦芽含量比例分为三类，其中啤酒的税率迄今为止最高。
Beer and related products are currently divided into three categories based chiefly on the ratio of malt content, with beer having the highest tax rate so far.
税率自2020年起逐步修订。从周四开始，啤酒税每350毫升罐装将减少约9日元，而发泡酒和第三类产品的税将增加约7日元。这些变化预计将反映在零售价格中。
The tax rates have been gradually revised since 2020. Beginning Thursday, the tax on beer will decrease by about ¥9 per 350-milliliter can, while the tax on happōshu and third-segment products will increase by about ¥7. The changes are expected to be reflected in retail prices.
随着预期许多消费者将回流啤酒，朝日啤酒翻新了其主力产品“超爽干啤”。
As many consumers are expected to shift back to beer, Asahi Breweries has revamped its mainstay Super Dry beer.
麒麟啤酒更新了其“一番榨”啤酒，并发起了其最大规模营销活动之一。札幌啤酒将在东京高档银座区的一家会员制店铺推广其旗舰产品“黑标”啤酒。
Kirin Brewery has renewed its Ichiban Shibori beer and launched one of its largest marketing campaigns. Sapporo Breweries will promote its flagship Black Label beer at a members-only store in Tokyo’s upscale Ginza district.
三得利洋酒将把其在第三类市场占有重要份额的“金麦”啤酒风味饮料重新归类为啤酒，同时将其定价低于竞争对手的主力啤酒产品。
Suntory Spirits will reclassify its Kinmugi beer-like beverage, which holds a significant share in the third-segment market, as a beer, while pricing it lower than rivals’ mainstay beer products.
“我们将回应以合理价格享受满足感的需求，”三得利洋酒社长西田英一郎表示。
“We’ll respond to the need to enjoy satisfaction at a reasonable price,” Suntory Spirits President Eiichiro Nishida said.
在类似举措中，朝日啤酒的“清爽朝日”啤酒风味饮料、麒麟啤酒的“本麒麟”啤酒风味饮料以及札幌啤酒的“麦与啤酒花”啤酒风味产品也将被重新定位为啤酒。酒税税率变化也被视为零售商的商机。
In similar moves, Asahi Breweries’ Clear Asahi beer-like drink, Kirin Brewery’s Honkirin beer-like beverage and Sapporo Breweries’ Mugi to Hop beer-like product will also be repositioned as beer. The liquor tax rate change is also seen as a commercial opportunity for retailers.
今年早些时候，超市运营商伊藤洋华堂和家居用品连锁店Cainz推出了各自自有品牌的啤酒产品，定价低于主要啤酒制造商的产品。
Earlier this year, supermarket operator Ito-Yokado and homeware store chain Cainz launched beer products under their respective private brands, priced lower than those of major beer makers.
“我们通过将制造外包给海外厂商并审查包装材料来降低成本，”伊藤洋华堂的一位官员表示。
“We reduced the cost by outsourcing manufacturing to overseas makers and reviewing packaging materials,” an Ito-Yokado official said.