Japanese tea industry news in English
China's Tongren matcha output hits 2,500 tons
Tongren in Guizhou province has emerged as China's leading matcha hub, with 5,667 hectares of dedicated production base and the world's largest matcha-dedicated processing facility. In 2025, the region produced 2,500 tons and captured China's top export share and the world's second-largest matcha export position. This expansion underscores the competitive pressure Chinese matcha now exerts on the premium Japanese market.
Matcha Mania Pushes Tea Prices to Record Highs
Global matcha demand and a landmark geographical indication are reshaping Japan's tea economy from the ground up.
Is Japan Running Out of Matcha?
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By the Numbers: June 2026
Japan's tea trade in June 2026: record exports, doubling prices, and a China-dominated matcha world.
Counterfeit Uji matcha flooding China market
Amid global matcha demand, Chinese-made fake Uji matcha—labeled with Japanese place names and sold in China—is undercutting authentic Kyoto production and eroding the Uji brand. An investigation revealed Japanese companies are complicit in sourcing and distributing counterfeit products. Kyoto tea makers warn that misrepresentation threatens the integrity of the entire Uji tea category and legitimate producers' market share.
Green Tea Prices Surge Due to Matcha Boom; Tea Extract and Cheap Imported Tea Also Rising
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"Japanese Tea" and "Lake Hamana Eel" registered for GI protection; MAFF holds certificate awarding ceremony to enable crackdown on fraudulent labeling
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Tencha Trading Session: Average Price 1.5× Year-on-Year Amid Global Matcha Boom—Kagoshima Maintains Six Consecutive Years as Japan's Top Producer
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Kagoshima tencha auction surges on export demand
Kagoshima's second-flush tencha auction on July 16 posted robust gains driven by sustained overseas matcha interest. Average prices climbed 1.5× YoY to ¥8,738/kg, with premium lots reaching ¥15,911/kg (1.6× higher). Following first-flush results that rose 1.8×, the momentum underscores global demand lifting domestic auction values and producer returns across both harvest cycles.
Japan registers Japanese tea as GI trademark
Japan's agriculture ministry has registered Japanese tea as a geographical indication (GI) to protect its brand identity and combat counterfeits as global matcha demand surges. Matcha exports have tripled over the past decade, but Chinese imitations—including fake 'Uji matcha'—are flooding markets. The GI designation aims to differentiate authentic Japanese tea and preserve premium pricing against low-cost knockoffs.
Tencha Trading Forum Held at Kagoshima Tea Market — Average Transaction Price 1.5× YoY as Global Matcha Demand Surges
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Tencha Trading Session Amid Rising Demand: Prices Reach ¥15,000/kg, 1.5× Last Year's Level
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Introducing Yamamoto
Matcha Wire: Stay up to date on Matcha industry news and scientific studies with Ooika's Matcha wire tool here. Introducing Yamamotoさん Uji city is the most important growing terroir of Tencha (unground Matcha) but it’s arguably the smalles…
Shizuoka tea market: average unit price doubled February–June
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Japanese Tea Registered as Geographical Indication with Production Region 'Japan' — First Such National GI by MAFF
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Global matcha boom drives North American expansion push
Global demand for matcha has intensified into a supply competition, with overseas buyers acquiring stock directly from producers and low-quality product flooding markets. In response, Japan's agricultural ministry registered tea under geographic indication protection. Nanaya, which pioneered the matcha café model in 2001, has aggressively expanded into North America—opening a flagship Los Angeles store in May that drew 300 overnight queues. While Asia faces oversupply, North…
Matcha's Global Boom Meets Japan's Supply Squeeze
Record grower prices, a global matcha rush and a landmark GI designation collide with mounting warnings that China's expansion could upend Japan's tea trade.
Shizuoka new tea reaches record high of 1.18 million yen; first transaction — 'tea we're satisfied with'
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Beverage Industry Feature: Raw Material Situation Facing the Industry – Green Tea & Matcha Popularity Rapidly Shifts Supply-Demand Environment
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Believing in Tea's Potential, Taking It Global: Career Changer Becomes Tea Farmer in Shizuoka—Ishii Hirokazu Vows to 'Connect the Future of the Producing Region'
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Japanese Tea Receives National Geographical Indication Registration; Counterfeit Measures via Dedicated Mark — Kagoshima Tea Stakeholders Voice Hopes for Differentiation
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"As Top Leader, Enhance the Brand" — Kagoshima Stakeholders Expect Much from Japanese Tea GI Registration; Background: Overseas Counterfeit Products
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Shizuoka second-flush prices double; output falls
Second-flush (二茶) tea production in Shizuoka's Haibara and Sagara districts wrapped by early July, with average prices reaching ¥2,200/kg—double the prior year—driven by supply tightness and late-spring frost damage. Raw tea (荒茶) output is estimated 10–20% lower than last year. The spike reflects structural shortages across Japan's mid-tier tea season, a bellwether for annual market pressure on specialty producers.
Is That 'Japanese Tea' Really Domestic? GI Registration Begins, But Loopholes Remain in Raw Material Origin Labeling Rules
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