Japan’s green tea exports have reached their highest level in more than 70 years.

Tokyo — Japan’s green tea exports reached their highest level in more than 70 years in the first 10 months of this year, boosted by a booming overseas matcha powder market and a depreciating yen, government and industry data show.
From January to October this year, tea exports increased by 44% compared to the same period last year, reaching 10,084 tons. The United States was the largest export destination, with imports totaling 3,497 tons in the first 10 months, followed by Taiwan, Thailand, and Germany.
Green tea exports have grown for nine consecutive years, reflecting the growing popularity of Japanese foods among health-conscious consumers abroad.
Despite rising overseas sales, annual shipments remain below 10,000 tonnes since a peak of 11,553 tonnes in 1954, partly due to the growing popularity of Chinese tea.
Despite weak domestic demand for green tea in Japan, tea prices have risen in recent years amid declining production.
In 2024, Japan’s tea production was estimated at approximately 74,000 tons, down more than 10% from a decade ago, due to declining demand for sencha (brewed tea) and an aging agricultural population.
According to an agricultural cooperative in southwestern Kagoshima Prefecture, a major tea-producing region in Japan, tea produced between October and November (typically used for bottled tea drinks) is selling for more than 2,500 yen (US$16) per kilogram, six times more than the same period last year.