Japanese tea industry news in English
Japan tea exports top 10,000 tonnes for first time in 71 years
Japan's tea acreage is projected to shrink from 25,400 hectares to about 5,000 hectares by 2050.
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Uji tea market peaks at 12.94 billion yen
Uji tea's trading volume reached 12.94 billion yen in the 2026 season (April 24–July 31), a historic high driven by global matcha demand. Tencha output hit 595 tonnes, the largest since the market's 1974 opening, with machine-harvested tencha commanding 10.1 billion yen at an average 17,250 yen/kg—the highest on record since 1996. However, tea wholesalers express concern that steep price rises across all categories will price out ordinary consumers and accelerate tea consumpt…
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Shizuoka retakes raw-tea crown after two years
Shizuoka Prefecture has regained the national lead in first-flush raw-tea (荒茶) production for the first time in two years, surpassing Kagoshima. Ten Shizuoka tea products—loose leaf and tea bags—were entered in the World Green Tea Contest held in Shimada on 20 April, where judges assess flavor, aroma, packaging, and value alongside teas from ten countries and 107 total submissions. The contest's chief judge noted that some Shizuoka entries showed distinctive, forward-thinking…
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Japan matcha shortage; China captures 70% of global supply
Japan's matcha exports reached a record 12,600 tonnes in 2025, up 43% year-on-year, yet domestic shortages persist as global demand outpaces supply. The constraint stems from matcha's labour-intensive production: tencha requires 20–40 days of shade cultivation, and traditional stone mills produce only 40 grams per hour. Meanwhile, China now supplies approximately 70% of global matcha, with production exceeding 12,000 tonnes, leveraging land abundance, labour availability, and…
Matcha boom sustainability questioned as prices rise
Japanese green tea exports are on track to double year-over-year in 2025, driven by global matcha latte demand, but prices are soaring and cheaper overseas imitations are entering the market. A Kyoto-Uji tea merchant warns that producers must sustain tencha production after the boom subsides, and that domestic brands must compete on quality and terroir rather than volume or price to remain competitive over the next 10–20 years. The government has begun registering Japanese te…
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