2. JAPANESE WHISKY BLENDER
Currently there are only liquor tax law to define what whisky is in Japan and it requires only bottling in Japan to claim Japanese whisky so that there are many "Japanese whisky" by bottling import bulk whisky. So there are some companies producing whisky by blending and bottling import bulk whisky without any distillation facility.
In add, it allows adding neutral spirit on whisky altough other countries don't allow it except for US & Japan.
There are 3 types producers among blenders, 1)Whisky without neutral spirit, 2)OEM whisky and 3) Whisky with neutral spirit in large plastic bottle.
2012 Minami Alps W&B
2015 Whisky bottling
It is production subsidiary of Tokuoka which is liquor importer in Osaka. They started whisky business by blending and bottling import bulk in 2015. They have a few their own brand bottles but most of their production is OEM business.
1976 Sun Foods
2014 Whisky bottling
It is originally seasoning manufacture and started whisky business by blending and bottling import bulk in 2014. They have a few their own brand bottles but most of their production is OEM business.
1842 Takara Shuzo
1919 Imitation whisky
They joined whisky business by merging Teikoku Shuzo starting imitation whisky production in 1919 in 1926 and Taisho Seishu starting whisky distillation in 1924 in 1929.
After WW2, they purchased Shirakawa plant from Daikoku Bodoshu and refined to whisky distillery in 1947 and it was producing malt whisky till 2003 when Shirakawa distillery was closed.
They are producing whisky neutral spirits is added for low cost market. These bottles are made from import bulk and bottled in large size plastic bottle.
1880 Oenon group (Kamiya Shuzo)
There are 2 group companies which is producing whisky today. The one is Godo Shusei which is main company of the group. They started imitation whisky in 1938 and they were distilling malt whisky around 1980. The other is Fukutokucho Shurui which was former Morinaga Jozo.
Both companies are producing whisky neutral spirits is added for low cost market. These bottles are made from import bulk and bottled in large size plastic bottle.
1902 Senju Shuzo
2017 Whisky bottling
It was originally sake brewery. They started whisky business by whisky neutral spirits is added for low cost market. These bottles are made from import bulk and bottled in large size plastic bottle.
1846 Miyazaki Honten
1950s Whisky bottling
It was originally sake brewery. They started whisky business probably in 1950s. Their whisky is made from import bulk however it is specialized to whisky without neutral spirit.
1933 Sapporo Shusei
1970s? Whisky bottling
It was originally Shochu distillery. They started whisky business probably in 1970s. Their whisky is made from import bulk however it is specialized to whisky without neutral spirit.
They also released single cask malt whisky bottle "Sapporo Single cask malt whisky".
1625 Toa Shuzo
2016 Imitation whisky
It was owned by founder Akuto familiy till 2004. They started whisky business by bottling import bulk whisky in 1946 and they were distilling whisky between 1980-2000. However it went bankrupt in 2000 and new owner decided to withdraw whisky business in 2004.
But Japanese whisky became very popular in the world 10 years later and they restart whisky business by bottling import bulk whisky in 2016.