ビール系飲料の酒税が一本化へ

Welcome to Japanese Daily News. I'm Maya. Today is September twenty-eighth. Starting next month, Japan's beer tax rules change in a big way — real beer gets cheaper, while cheaper beer-like drinks go up. Let's listen.

Now let's break it down, sentence by sentence.

From October first, the rules for the tax on beer and other alcohol change in a big way.

It means liquor tax — the tax on alcoholic drinks.

The tax rates on beer, low-malt beer, and the so-called third-category beer will be unified.

It means unification — bringing several things together into one.

With this reform, beer gets a tax cut of about nine yen, so prices should come down a little.

It means a tax cut.

On the other hand, the cheaper beer-like drinks go up by about seven yen.

It means a tax increase — the opposite of the last word.

Canned cocktails like lemon sours also rise, from twenty-eight to thirty-five yen.

That's a popular canned drink — a distilled spirit mixed with soda and fruit flavor.

The reform was decided in twenty seventeen, and after two earlier rounds, this is the final stage.

It means a stage, or a step in a process.

The government pushed the change, saying such different rates for similar drinks was not fair.

It means fair, or fairness.

Because beer was taxed heavily, makers developed cheaper drinks with lower taxes.

It means development — creating something new.

With equal tax rates, companies will now compete on taste, not price.

It means a contest — here, to compete on something.

Let's listen to the whole story one more time.

Time for a short quiz. Listen and try to answer.

It goes down — beer gets a tax cut of about nine yen.

They go up, by about seven yen.

Fifty-four point two five yen — the same for all three kinds.

That's all for today. Next month, check the price tags at the store — a new era of beer competition begins. See you next time. Bye!