"Fearing Loss to China"... Japan Takes Drastic Measures Amid Flood of Imitations

Protecting the "Japanese Tea" Brand Amid the Matcha Craze
First GI Registration for Agricultural Products from All Regions of Japan
Differentiation Efforts in Response to the Spread of Imitation Uji Matcha

As the global matcha craze continues, the Japanese government has moved to protect its brand by registering the name "Japanese Tea" as a geographical indication (GI).

According to the Yomiuri Shimbun on July 11, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan registered "Japanese Tea" as a new geographical indication the previous day.

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A geographical indication is a system that protects the names of agricultural, forestry, fishery products, and foods that possess quality and reputation derived from a specific region's natural environment or production methods, as intellectual property. Only products and businesses that meet registration standards are allowed to use the name and GI mark.

In Japan, products named after specific regions, such as "Yubari Melon" and "Kobe Beef," have mainly been registered as geographical indications. The Yomiuri Shimbun reported that this is the first time a product from across Japan has been registered as a geographical indication.

This measure is seen as an effort to differentiate Japanese tea from imitations and enhance its brand value, as exports of Japanese tea have increased amid the worldwide matcha boom. Over the past 10 years, the export volume of Japanese green tea has roughly tripled, reaching 12,612 tons last year. Export value amounted to 72.1 billion yen (approximately 669.8 billion won).

However, there have also been repeated cases of imitation products, such as Chinese-made teas being sold as "Uji Matcha," using the name of "Uji," one of Japan's representative tea-producing regions.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.