Rules by country / Japan / Japan beer tax 2026
Japan beer tax 2026: one rate, new price gaps
Since 1 October 2026, beer, happoshu and new genre beers all pay 54.25 yen per 350ml: beer got cheaper to tax, its rivals dearer. We measure how your shoppers switch, and set prices for the new gaps.
Liquor tax from 1 October 2026: 155,000 yen per kilolitre for beer, happoshu and new genre, and 100,000 yen for chu-hai.
A price gap plan for Japan's beer tax
How your shoppers switch between beer, happoshu, new genre and chu-hai, and the prices that win under one tax rate.
- How shoppers switch between beer types when price gaps change, measured from your own sales
- The best shelf price for each product after the change
- Which packs and price points to lead with
- A plan by retailer, and an Excel model
How your results look
| Product | Tax change per 350ml | Our advice |
|---|---|---|
| Premium beer | down 9.10 yen | Pass part of it on |
| New genre | up 7.26 yen | Narrow the gap with care |
| Lemon chu-hai | up 7 yen | Pass on in full |
Fictional products. Every real result comes with the expected sales and profit, and a likely range.
Your options
Every option has a fixed price, agreed before we start.
Price gap plan
- The tax and best choice for each product
- Price plan for each retailer
- Scenario model and a walk-through
Pricing review with the tax
- Everything in the tax review
- Prices and promotions for the whole range
- How your products take sales from each other
Portfolio review
- Everything in the pricing review
- More retailers and data sources
- A plan for each channel
After the project: a refresh before each pricing round, from £2,000 (about ¥420,000). Prices are fixed in pounds sterling; amounts in yen are a guide at October 2026 exchange rates. We're based in the UK and work remotely, in English, under NDA.
How it works
From the first call to your plan in about three weeks.
A free 15-minute call
Tell us about your range. We say whether a review would pay for itself, and quote a fixed price.
Your data
Sales by product and retailer, recipes and costs. We sign an NDA before anything moves.
Your plan
How your shoppers switch, the new price gaps and a price plan, walked through with your team.
Japan beer tax: the detail
Open only what you need.
- Since
- 1 October 2026, the last step of a reform begun in 2020
- Beer
- 54.25 yen per 350ml, down from 63.35 yen
- Happoshu and new genre
- 54.25 yen per 350ml, up from 46.99 yen
- Chu-hai
- 35 yen per 350ml, up from 28 yen
Price beer to win
Use part of the cut to win back shoppers who traded down.
Narrow gaps with care
Know how many shoppers stay when the gap closes.
Watch the switching
Measure where chu-hai shoppers go.
How is beer taxed in Japan from October 2026?
Since 1 October 2026, beer, happoshu and new genre beers all pay 54.25 yen per 350ml.
Did the beer tax go down in Japan?
For beer, yes: from 63.35 to 54.25 yen per 350ml. Happoshu and new genre rose from 46.99 to 54.25 yen.
How much is the tax on chu-hai in Japan?
35 yen per 350ml since 1 October 2026, up from 28 yen.
How much does a price gap plan cost?
A review of up to 10 products has a fixed price from £7,500 (about ¥1.6 million) and takes about three weeks. For 11 to 50 products, a full pricing review costs around £17,500 (about ¥3.7 million). It starts with a free 15-minute call.
Do you work with brands in Japan?
Yes. We're based in the UK and work remotely and in English, under NDA. Prices are fixed in pounds sterling before we start, and the first step is a free 15-minute call.
Checked on 20 October 2026. Rules and rates change, so check the official source before making decisions. This page is not tax advice.