China dominates global matcha supply but can Japan protect its premium edge? | CNA Correspondent

For centuries, Japan has defined matcha through ritual, craftsmanship and the legendary tea-growing town of Uji. But today, China has quietly become the world's biggest producer, supplying around 70 per cent of global output. As global demand soars, which country will shape the future of matcha? Genevieve Woo speaks to CNA Senior Correspondent Michiyo Ishida in Tokyo and Correspondent Tan Si Hui in Beijing, exploring the growing contest between heritage and scale, tradition and technology, as two neighbours take very different paths to satisfy the world's matcha obsession. Highlights: 00:00 Intro 01:59 How the matcha boom rescued Japan’s tea industry 05:51 How China became a matcha powerhouse 08:25 Are Japan and China competing for the same customers? 11:21 Does everyone want premium matcha? 14:47 China’s push to innovate matcha 17:40 Could the matcha boom fade? ============= #CNACorrespondentPodcast #matcha #Japan #China #cnapodcasts Subscribe to our channel here: https://cna.asia/youtubesub Visit our website: https://cna.asia Download our app: https://cna.asia/app Get our editors' picks of stories via chat apps: Telegram: https://cna.asia/telegram WhatsApp: https://cna.asia/whatsapp Follow us on these platforms: https://www.facebook.com/channelnewsasia https://www.instagram.com/channelnewsasia https://www.tiktok.com/@channelnewsasia