Sapporo, a major Japanese beer company, is considering moving some of its beer production from Canada to the United States due to new tariffs on Canadian beer that took effect recently. The 50% tariff on beer imported from Canada has significantly increased costs for companies that ship beer across the border. Rieko Shofu, Sapporo’s chief strategy officer, described the tariffs as "something out of our control" and told Bloomberg that the company would "move ahead with local production." While Sapporo did not immediately respond to the BBC’s request for comment, it plans to shift the production of its non-alcoholic beer—currently made in Canada for U.S. customers—to the United States by the first half of 2027. The United States is one of Sapporo’s most important overseas markets, and moving production south of the border will directly impact operations at its Canadian subsidiary, Sleeman Breweries. To manage rising costs, the company is exploring options to increase production capacity on the U.S. West Coast. These include building or buying a brewery or partnering with a third-party manufacturer. Sapporo has been expanding its presence in the U.S. for years, with its flagship Sapporo brand being the best-selling Asian beer in the country. Sapporo is also investing heavily outside Japan, where a declining population has affected alcohol sales. The company plans to invest up to ¥400 billion ($2.6 billion) by 2030 to expand overseas and boost profits, with around 30% of that capital allocated for overseas markets. Beyond North America, Sapporo has announced a partnership with Danish brewer Carlsberg to expand in Southeast Asia, showing its global ambitions. Sapporo’s decision to move production comes as companies worldwide adapt to an increasing number of tariffs. In July, the United States announced new tariffs on dozens of trading partners, including Canada, raising costs for businesses that rely on cross-border supply chains. This move reflects how some companies are rethinking where they manufacture goods in response to rising trade barriers and the increased cost of serving customers from overseas.