Kirin, Suntory likely To Reach Merger Pact In or After Feb

Kirin Holdings Co. Ltd. and Suntory Holding Ltd. will likely to reach a merger accord during or after Februrary, according to Nikkei. In a move to create a formidable competitor to the world's leading brewer, Anheuser-Busch Inbev. N.V., Kirin and Suntory are proceeding with merger talks. But Japanese media have reported that a rift has developed between Kirin and Suntory on the merger ratio, the key point in moving forward with plans to integrate their businesses.