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Japan's beer shipments to S Korea dive 99.9% in Sept

53 Comments

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send it to Australia, Ashai is a great beer.

8 ( +27 / -19 )

To each his or her own! If Korean's want to drink their own "beer" (if you want to call it that) fine, leave more for us here!

10 ( +24 / -14 )

Wow I didn't know so many Koreans are that easily brainwashed by their government.

14 ( +32 / -18 )

Koreans are just looking out for their own in the same way Japan has done for decades.

Perhaps consumers in the USA (and Europe) should follow suit with Koreans. It's time this trade imbalance with Japan was balanced.

-8 ( +22 / -30 )

Disputes between Tokyo and Seoul over wartime compensation and trade policy have sent bilateral ties to their worst level in years, with the boycott campaign also resulting in a sharp decrease in the number of South Korean visitors to Japan.

That hurts a lot of Japanese businesses. I guess they and the Japanese beer makers are pissed at both feuding governments.

Wow I didn't know so many Koreans are that easily brainwashed by their government.

You could say the same thing about Japanese and their government.

0 ( +21 / -21 )

Am flying over on Saturday. putting a case in my check in baggage. Planning on selling it to acquaintances. Already got bids. Covered my four day trip.

-1 ( +21 / -22 )

It's beer, not a staple unless you are a salery man. Pretty sure it's not counted in the GDP and "it's beer" no mystery how it's made. Most beer drinkers I know don't savour the flavour. Could Japan ween it's self of K pop so quickly without a government urge?

-4 ( +8 / -12 )

Am flying over on Saturday. putting a case in my check in baggage. Planning on selling it to acquaintances. Already got bids. Covered my four day trip.

Good work, even though the mark-ups required sound rather implausible.

7 ( +13 / -6 )

It’s amazing that Koreans were still buying 588,000-yen worth of beer from Japan last month.

7 ( +14 / -7 )

Cricky:

Kpop can be free as the signal can be pulled from south korea by good antennae. Just don't renew license and be that guy.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

leave more for us here!

i second that.

0 ( +5 / -5 )

@Meiyouwenti

It’s amazing that Koreans were still buying 588,000-yen worth of beer from Japan last month.

But there are 24,000 Japanese residents/students and 3,000,000 tourists (annual) in South Korea. So...

2 ( +8 / -6 )

Japan's politicians really need to study diplomacy and PR. Standing up and shouting does nothing to solve this kind of PR situation with South Korea.

6 ( +13 / -7 )

I see the standard Japanese beers as pretty run of the mill booze. Not bad. To be honest, I’m not a big beer drinker and so I’m not a good judge. Is Japanese beer worth going out of your way for?

6 ( +10 / -4 )

Adults, but behave like children. Neighbors will always be neighbors. It is necessary to negotiate, solve problems.

3 ( +8 / -5 )

Who cares? It's not even a news in Japan except Kyodo trying to create a propaganda against Japan.

-4 ( +6 / -10 )

More beer for the Japanese, then!

-1 ( +6 / -7 )

To each his or her own! If Korean's want to drink their own "beer" (if you want to call it that) fine, leave more for us here!

Nope. Koreans who were drinking Japanese beer are now simply drinking German/American/Australian beers.

There must have been a lot of them too, as a breathtaking 70% of all Japanese beer exports worldwide were shipped to South Korea.

Korea accounted for 70 percent of Japan's beer exports in 2018.

Source: https://www.fas.usda.gov/data/south-korea-beer-market-report-2

9 ( +14 / -5 )

Just back from Guam and saw many Koreans there drinking and ordering Kirin and Asahi beer like it was running out. hmmmm.

-3 ( +9 / -12 )

Andrew CrispToday 03:37 pm JST

send it to Australia, Ashai is a great beer.

I buy Asahi Super Dry in Australia and the last two bottle's I checked, one was made under license in China and the other under license in Australia. Would love to drink the original made in Japan.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

Korean beer is terrible. I feel bad they have to suffer in such a cruel way.

3 ( +12 / -9 )

What a ridiculous number, how does one define 00.1%.? what a load of old cobblers.

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

Its rather appalling that some commenters say all Koreans are somehow brainwashed as if the notion of freedom is unknown to them. I do understand that it's simply cognitive dissonance speaking. The inevitable realization that abe and his ilk shot themselves in the foot on this decision. The decades long hubris in assuming that Koreans will always play second fiddle. Well, here we are. I called it. Vindicated. I only hope the sane will band together to right this wrong by getting rid of the useless right wing regime once and for all.

6 ( +12 / -6 )

Recently tried Minoh beer (Kansai craft) and thought they were excellent (not a massive beer drinker nor connoisseur). Had stout, pilsner and pale, all very good.

Reminded me of quality Belgian beers (Chimay, leffe).

-6 ( +2 / -8 )

It’s Korea’s loss. The Korean beer I’ve had is terrible. More Kirin Ichiban and Suntory Premium Malts for us:)

-2 ( +7 / -9 )

Am flying over on Saturday. putting a case in my check in baggage. Planning on selling it to acquaintances. Already got bids. Covered my four day trip.

The profits from selling one case of beer to acquaintances covers a 4 day Japan-Korea trip, does it? You would actually charge that much and they would actually pay that much for beer?

5 ( +7 / -2 )

Years ago, you could only really buy the big 4 in Japan (Asahi, Kirin, Sapporo, Suntory), and it was all the same price. So really, you just had to get used to it.

It was only when I went on holiday that it hit home that Japanese beer was not particularly wonderful, but nevertheless OK.

I used to enjoy trips to Taipei, where I could enjoy the local brand (Taiwan Beer) and, as Taiwan markets were never as closed as Japan's, enjoy many American and European brands.

I think Korean beer has improved over the years, and will continue to improve with more foreign partnership s and joint ventures.

I cannot really decide whether or not not Japanese beers brewed in my native country are any better. I suppose it depends on the water.

I am still studying Japans new beer from micro brewery's.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

Japan's beer shipments to South Korea plummeted 99.9 percent in September from a year earlier to 588,000 yen

Does that mean they were buying 588,000,000 yen (went from 100 to 0.1)?

Anyway, silver lining. More J-beer available during RWC. Wouldn't like to run out.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

Its rather appalling that some commenters say all Koreans are somehow brainwashed as if the notion of freedom is unknown to them. I do understand that it's simply cognitive dissonance speaking. 

What an interesting statement, coming from someone that never has anything positive to say about Japan or Japanese culture, and readily infers that all Japanese are brainwashed into only one ignorant line of thought.

-6 ( +5 / -11 )

Confucianism of being good neighbours has reasons. If you break it, you pay for it.

-2 ( +5 / -7 )

It’s amazing that Koreans were still buying 588,000-yen worth of beer from Japan last month.

It is hardly anything - I have drunk well more than that of Japanese beer in my life.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Given the bad reputation of their local brands I do hope they can find quality Chinese goods to replace the Japanese ones they boycott. Good luck!

Korean goods have a very good reputation. Korea does not have to teplace them. Some Korean goods are manufactured in China, and are of high quality.

In my native country, I have noticed over the last 25 years, many Korean brands replacing Japanese brands, especially in the field of electronics, and photography.

Incidentally, there is a shop in my native city which does sell Hite Beer.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

The profits from selling one case of beer to acquaintances covers a 4 day Japan-Korea trip, does it? You would actually charge that much and they would actually pay that much for beer?

If we work out his numbers, a case of 24 500ml Asahi JPY 5600. Or 233.

Let's say you want JPY 100,000 for his 4-day trip, including a flight.

So I guess Koreans are prepared to pay 4,160 JPY per can.

This shows how much Koreans must love Japanese beer.

Beer smuggling to become a growth industry...?

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

Korean beer is terrible. I feel bad they have to suffer in such a cruel way.

It really is and Cass is slightly tolerable, in that case they should go with a US micro brew.

0 ( +5 / -5 )

They must be crazy to boycott Japanese beer. Brainwashed by Korean Government. Honestly , there is no more delicious beer in the World than Asahi Super Dry, Sapporo Black Label or Kirin Ichiban. All 3 have unbelievable mouth-watering taste! And I have drank many hundreds of other beers, I know what Im talking about. Hite lager is simply awful, I wouldnt even let my dog drink that!

-10 ( +3 / -13 )

2 weeks ago I flew in and out of Incheon airport, on a full service airline-both times the plane was packed in economy and business class.

I also sampled a delicious craft beer, made in Korea in the business lounge...

So, not all gloom and doom!

5 ( +7 / -2 )

Honestly , there is no more delicious beer in the World than Asahi Super Dry, Sapporo Black Label or Kirin Ichiban. All 3 have unbelievable mouth-watering taste!

@Ganbare. Everybody has different tastes, but I think that Asahi Super Dry is, just too dry. In fact Asahi is my least favourite Japanese beer. Kirin Ichiban is smooth. I think that the problem with Hite beer is, is that it is filtered too much.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

Same story with Japan's semiconductor materials. Export down 99.5%, and to the dismay of Japanese government officials, Koreans quickly replaced them.

Unlike beer, this sale will not return to Japan even if the trade war is over, as semiconductor process is highly sensitive and material suppliers cannot easily be switched.

Both Samsung and SK Hynix are scheduled to go completely Japan material free by next year, meaning the last remnant of Japan's semiconductor industry is finished off by Abe san.

4 ( +8 / -4 )

@Ah_so

a case of 24 500ml Asahi JPY 5600. Or 233.

Why cost so much. My local store had the same box for $28.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Samit Basu said "Both Samsung and SK Hynix are scheduled to go completely Japan material free by next year, meaning the last remnant of Japan's semiconductor industry is finished off by Abe san."

Please have mercy on neighbours.

-3 ( +4 / -7 )

Folks, per the Korean mindset there is an inverse correlation between boycotting Japanese products and growing the Korean economy!

Meanwhile, the Korean economy is in the doldrums and Korean youth are bitter for want of jobs and future prospects at home; many want to emigrate from Korea to better prospects in the US, Japan, Australia, Canada, etc.

Korean companies are losing market share to Chinese rivals in every sphere: Samsung is steadily losing to Huawei, Oppo, et al; Hyundai to assorted PRC competitors; in Semi Conductors and Microchips too, Chinese firms are steadily clobbering Hanguk!

And here we have a nation of 50 million whose national hobby is the practice of Hwabyeong throwing their perennial histrionics and tantrums.

Par for the course.

-3 ( +5 / -8 )

Am flying over on Saturday. putting a case in my check in baggage. Planning on selling it to acquaintances. Already got bids. Covered my four day trip.

Good work, even though the mark-ups required sound rather implausible.

I'm not too surprised. Back in the 90's when I was stationed there, Korean taxi drivers would offer hundreds of dollars if you would buy them a single bottle of American whiskey.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

Leave the children and beer out of it!

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

588,000 yen, a month is a drop in the ocean, its about £7000, they would make and can that amount in 1 hour, I really don't think its going to make a dent in any of the beer co's turn over.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

More for the rest of the world...too bad. Their loss.

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

Maybe the companies need better advertising.

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

What a shame that the world seems to be stumbling into a period of contention and strife. We will all pay in time with a soured world economy and reduced prospects for younger workers.

We can thank politicians who find playing to our primitive tribal urges guarantees reelection.

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

I travel to Korea 8 to 10 times a year.

Every Japanese I speak to returning from Korea has always had a positive experience.

Beer sales being down is not a scientific way of judging the status quo.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

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