Suntory, drinks giant established by his grandfather, overtook its nearest competitor, Sapporo, in 2008 sales.
On July 14th Kirin and Suntory, two big Japanese brewers, announced that they are in merger talks.
Suntory President Nobutada Saji said Tuesday he wanted to conclude an agreement with Kirin by the end of the year.
Suntory now exports well over 10, 000 cases a year to the United States alone, with France and the UK not far behind.
WSJ: The Ascent of Japanese Whisky | The Cult of | WSJ. Magazine May 2013
The first event of the day is the President will be giving a speech at Suntory Hall in Tokyo at 10:00 a.m.
Something has to give, and the likelihood that Suntory and its drinks will join Kirin's lineup is a sign that things are changing.
Suntory, the food and beverage giant run by Japanese billionaire Nobutada Saji, has backed away from plans to merge with rival brewer Kirin.
The company is owned by the Japanese family drinks firm, Suntory.
The television ad for Suntory mineral water looks as idealistic as it did ten years ago, featuring vistas of snow-covered mountains and a perfect Japanese family.
In 1991, he offended whisky makers, who are Scotland's second biggest exporters, by accepting a handsome sum for promoting a whisky made by Suntory, a Japanese firm.
At the 2012 World Whiskies Awards, for example, Suntory's Yamazaki 25-year-old was voted World's Best Single Malt, while Nikka won the top spot in the Blended Malt category.
WSJ: The Ascent of Japanese Whisky | The Cult of | WSJ. Magazine May 2013
With the country's ale market shrinking, it's no surprise that the nation's biggest brewer, Kirin, wants to absorb smaller rival Suntory, owned by Nobutada Saji, Japan's eighth-richest man.
The Kirin-Suntory talks are notable because both firms are winners.
"At the moment, we are working 20 hours a day, seven days a week at our operations to try to package water and meet demand, " said Steve Bayliss of the Suntory Water Group.
In Kyoto, where the giant beverage company Suntory has its most famous whisky distillery, in the suburb of Yamazaki, the bar has reached rare heights of sophistication, with a meditative introspection that seems to unconsciously match and complement the local whiskies.
WSJ: The Ascent of Japanese Whisky | The Cult of | WSJ. Magazine May 2013
The tourists lost their opening game against Japan's premier club side Suntory and struggled to beat a Select XV, but a solid forward platform paved the way for Shane Williams to score four tries in a 64-10 first Test win in Osaka.
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