Green Tea Exports Hit Record High in 2025 Amid Growing Demand, Likely to Be Driving Force Behind Govt Export Target

The Yomiuri Shimbun

7:00 JST, February 4, 2026

Exports of green tea, including matcha, reached a record high of more than 10,000 tons last year, according to trade statistics released by the Finance Ministry.

Green tea is expected to serve as a driving force in the government’s push to achieve its target of ¥5 trillion annually in agricultural, forestry and fishery products and food exports by 2030. However, there are concerns that strong global demand could drive up domestic prices.

According to the statistics released Thursday, exports of green tea, including matcha, stood at 12,612 tons last year, an increase of about 3,800 tons from the previous year, and have tripled over the past decade. An industry group said the last time exports exceeded 10,000 tons was about 70 years ago.

Last year, the export value surged to about ¥72.1 billion, nearly doubling the previous record of ¥36.4 billion set in 2024. By country and region, the United States accounted for the largest share at ¥29.3 billion, and demand is growing in Europe and Southeast Asia as well.

Growing health consciousness and a boom in Japanese food, particularly in the United States and Europe, are fueling the popularity of matcha. While drinks such as matcha lattes have gained wide recognition, matcha has also become a popular ingredient in sweets such as parfaits and crepes.

Horiguchien, a tea farm in Shibushi, Kagoshima Prefecture, has scaled up its tea production to meet growing overseas demand.

“Prices are soaring, reflecting strong demand,” said the president of the farm. However, the president also raised concerns the trend could lead to a decline in product sales in the medium- and long-term.

Growing global demand has pushed up the prices of bottled green tea beverages. Ito En, Ltd. and Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan Inc. said they will raise the prices of 600- to 650-milliliter bottled drinks by about 10% in March. While both companies raised prices for their bottled drinks in October, they decided on another price hike due to rising ingredient costs.