THE WHAT? The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is supporting local tea farmers in shifting from traditional sencha production to matcha as international demand for powdered green tea continues to rise.
THE DETAILS Tokyo has allocated 20 million yen (US$126,000) in its fiscal 2026 budget to help tea growers transition to matcha production through subsidies for shading equipment and processing costs. The initiative will focus on tea-growing areas in Mizuho and Musashimurayama, known for producing Tokyo Sayama tea. Unlike sencha, matcha requires tea leaves to be shaded before harvest and processed into tencha before being ground into powder. The government plans to market the product under a new “Tokyo Matcha” brand and will support growers with technical expertise from established matcha-producing regions. Trial production is scheduled to begin in fiscal 2026, with broader participation expected over time. The programme also includes market research and future product development initiatives featuring Tokyo-grown matcha.
THE WHY? The move aims to address declining domestic consumption of sencha, an ageing farming population and shrinking tea cultivation areas while capitalising on strong global demand for matcha driven by health trends, Japanese cuisine and growing international consumer interest.
Source: Nikkei Asia
