Why The Japanese Tea Market Has A Gradual Increase Over...

Tea in Japan â€Å"The Japanese beverage sector is one of the biggest beverage markets in the world.† â€Å"It is highly competitive and has reached a peak in its maturity, thus making growth difficult† (Japan). This term paper will study why the Japanese tea market has seen a gradual decrease over the years, and will study the factors that caused this industry to see such a change. It will include the history/origin of tea, the ongoing changes in the tea market, and whether other countries like China are seeing the same downward shift. It will also provide research on the top Japanese tea sellers, major (tea) export partners, top competitors (both internal and external), current products in the market, along with issues that have affected the tea†¦show more content†¦The ceremonies have influenced all forms of Japanese art (such as garden design and flower arrangements), and has become a social custom to Japanese people† (Tea). This way of life is still prevalent in Japanese culture today (especially among the older generations). Along the lines of Japan’s long history of tea, the first signs of these exports appeared in â€Å"1610 by the Dutch East India Company, when a shipment of Japanese tea was sent to Europe† (Ito En). Later in 1858 Japan opened its ports, first to the United States, then to countries like the UK, Russia, and France. This marked the time in which tea became one of Japan’s main exports. Afterwards the export of tea expanded â€Å"due to the support of the Japanese government, with their main focus on the United States† as an export partner. These countries, along with many others nowadays, are still huge tea trading partners with Japan. They contribute a good portion to Japan’s tea market; the main attraction to Japanese tea has to do with their cultural practices attributed to earlier uses of tea and ceremonies in Japan. Japan has faced major issues regarding natural disasters over the years. These disasters can greatly attribute to the downfall of the Japanese Tea market. The most famously known occurrence appeared in 2011, when Japan had a triple disaster (earthquake, tsunami, and then followed by the nuclear disaster). This disaster affected tea