Japanese Tea Nationwide Protected as Intellectual Property Through GI Registration – Safeguarded Against Overseas Counterfeit Products
全国の日本茶、知的財産に ＧＩ登録 海外の模倣品から保護 - 朝日新聞
Summary
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries registered 'Japanese Tea' as a geographical indication (GI) on the 10th, making all of Japan a protected production zone for green tea cultivated and processed domestically. This marks only the second time Japan has granted nationwide GI status to a single product category—the first being sake under tax authority jurisdiction. The move shields authentic Japanese tea from international imitation and counterfeits, strengthenin…
Key points
- MAFF registered 'Japanese Tea' as nationwide GI, protecting all domestic green tea from overseas counterfeiting.
- Only second Japanese product to receive whole-nation GI status; sake was the first under tax authority.
- Covers all green tea cultivated and processed within Japan; tightens intellectual property defense globally.
- Reflects growing need to combat counterfeit Japanese tea flooding international markets.
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What they said
“The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries announced on the 10th that it registered 'Japanese Tea' as a geographical indication (GI) protecting regional agricultural products and foods bearing local names as regional intellectual property, with all of Japan as the production zone.”
農林水産省は１０日、ご当地の名称を冠した農産品や食品を地域の知的財産として保護する「地理的表示」（ＧＩ）に、日本全体を産地として「日本茶」を登録したと発表した。
“Until now, only 'Japanese Sake,' under the jurisdiction of the National Tax Agency, held nationwide GI status as a production zone.”
日本全体を産地とするのは、これまでは国税庁が所管する「日本酒」だけだった。
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