Japan plans to add Japanese tea to its Geographical Indication (GI) protection system to exclude foreign imitations from the market [1].
This regulatory shift is driven by a global boom in matcha and a rise in products labeled as Japanese tea that do not originate from Japan. By securing GI status, the government aims to protect the brand's integrity and strengthen the competitive edge of domestic exports.
The Japan Tea Industry Association and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries are coordinating the registration process [1]. The GI system, which began in 2015 [2], provides legal protection for products that possess a specific quality or reputation linked to their geographic origin.
Industry leaders said the move is necessary because of the increasing number of imitation products appearing in overseas markets. These products often capitalize on the prestige of Japanese tea without adhering to the traditional production methods, or regional standards associated with the name [1].
Export data underscores the urgency of the protection. Japanese tea exports last year doubled compared to the previous fiscal year, reaching a record high [3]. This surge in demand has made the product a more attractive target for counterfeiters and non-Japanese producers seeking to leverage the "Japanese tea" label.
Sadami Suzuki, executive director of the Japan Tea Industry Association, said the industry wants to move forward with the effort as a representative product with characteristics that represent the entire country [4].
The registration process will establish a legal framework to verify the origin of the tea, ensuring that only tea grown and processed in Japan can be sold under the specific GI designation. This is expected to provide consumers with a reliable way to distinguish authentic Japanese tea from foreign alternatives [1].
“Japan plans to add Japanese tea to its Geographical Indication (GI) protection system to exclude foreign imitations.”
The transition of 'Japanese tea' from a generic descriptor to a protected GI status signals a shift toward an aggressive intellectual property strategy for agricultural exports. By mirroring the protections used by European wines and cheeses, Japan is attempting to prevent 'brand dilution' caused by the global matcha trend, ensuring that the premium pricing associated with Japanese origin remains reserved for domestic producers.
