August's coverage centers on Japan's National Tea Competition, which reached its 80th edition, alongside a cluster of export figures showing where Japanese tea is heading and how fast rivals are moving. Kagoshima's dominance at the competition and its 2026 first-flush production both point to the prefecture's continued weight in the industry.

On the trade side, powder tea and the U.S. market anchor Japan's export mix, while Korea's reported 45% export growth and the 24.1% annual growth Japan itself needs to hit its 2030 target frame the competitive pressure. Farmland expansion plans and a prefectural competition's post-gap entry decline round out a month heavy on structural, not just seasonal, numbers.

The stats

Copy any line — each figure is credited to the outlet that reported it, compiled by Matcha Wire.
  • Japan's National Tea Competition reached its 80th edition this year — reported by Chunichi Shimbun on 28 August 2026. # Read the story ↗
  • The National Tea Competition drew 814 total entries — reported by Saga Shimbun on 28 August 2026. # Read the story ↗
  • Kagoshima's first-flush crude-tea production rose 13.8% year-on-year to 9,610 tonnes in 2026 — reported by Shizuoka Asahi TV on 18 August 2026. # Read the story ↗
  • Kagoshima has taken first place for 23 consecutive years at the National Tea Competition — reported by Minami-Nippon Shimbun on 28 August 2026. # Read the story ↗
  • Saga last hosted the National Tea Competition 27 years ago — reported by news.web.nhk on 25 August 2026. # Read the story ↗
  • This year's competition winner is 56 years old — reported by tokyo-np.co.jp on 26 August 2026. # Read the story ↗
  • Powder tea made up 87% of Japan's tea exports — reported by Japan Agri News on 10 August 2026. # Read the story ↗
  • The United States accounted for 41% of Japan's tea export destinations — reported by Japan Agri News on 10 August 2026. # Read the story ↗
  • Korean green tea exports grew 45% year-on-year — reported by Nikkei on 28 August 2026. # Read the story ↗
  • Japan's tea industry needs 24.1% annual growth to hit its 2030 target — reported by Nippon TV on 4 August 2026. # Read the story ↗
Tea farmland: acquired vs 2030 target — Acquired: 5 ha; 2030 expansion target: 20 ha. Reported by Asahi Shimbun Digital.
Figure 1The newly acquired plot is one-quarter of the 20-hectare expansion target.
The numbers behind this chart
Tea farmland: acquired vs 2030 targetValue (ha)
Acquired5 ha
2030 expansion target20 ha
Data: Asahi Shimbun Digital · compiled by Matcha Wire Download data (CSV)
Kagoshima's 2026 first-flush crude-tea output — Kagoshima first-flush crude tea, 2026: 9,610 t. Reported by Shizuoka Asahi TV.
Figure 2Production rose 13.8% year-on-year to 9,610 tonnes.
The numbers behind this chart
Kagoshima's 2026 first-flush crude-tea outputValue (t)
Kagoshima first-flush crude tea, 20269,610 t
Data: Shizuoka Asahi TV · compiled by Matcha Wire Download data (CSV)
Entries across August's tea competitions — National Tea Competition (Saga, 80th): 814; Shizuoka Prefectural Tea Competition: 265; World Green Tea Contest: 107; Kyoto Tea Competition (77th): 50. Reported by Saga Shimbun, Shizuoka Asahi TV.
Figure 3The National Tea Competition drew far more entries than any prefectural or regional contest.
The numbers behind this chart
Entries across August's tea competitionsValue (entries)
National Tea Competition (Saga, 80th)814
Shizuoka Prefectural Tea Competition265
World Green Tea Contest107
Kyoto Tea Competition (77th)50
Data: Saga Shimbun, Shizuoka Asahi TV · compiled by Matcha Wire Download data (CSV)
Japan tea export composition — Powder tea share of exports: 87%; U.S. share of export destinations: 41%. Reported by Japan Agri News.
Figure 4Powder tea now dominates exports, at 87% of the total.
The numbers behind this chart
Japan tea export compositionValue (%)
Powder tea share of exports87%
U.S. share of export destinations41%
Data: Japan Agri News · compiled by Matcha Wire Download data (CSV)
National Tea Competition judging structure — Tea types judged: 7 count; Divisions: 8 count. Reported by AgriNews (Japan Agri News).
Figure 5Judges scored 7 tea types across 8 divisions.
The numbers behind this chart
National Tea Competition judging structureValue (count)
Tea types judged7 count
Divisions8 count
Data: AgriNews (Japan Agri News) · compiled by Matcha Wire Download data (CSV)
Growth figures reported this month — Korean green tea exports, YoY: 45%; Required annual growth to 2030 target: 24.1%; Kagoshima crude tea production, YoY 2026: 13.8%. Reported by Nikkei, Shizuoka Asahi TV.
Figure 6Korean tea export growth outpaced the annual growth Japan needs for its 2030 target.
The numbers behind this chart
Growth figures reported this monthValue (%)
Korean green tea exports, YoY45%
Required annual growth to 2030 target24.1%
Kagoshima crude tea production, YoY 202613.8%
Data: Nikkei, Shizuoka Asahi TV · compiled by Matcha Wire Download data (CSV)
Kagoshima's winning streak — Kagoshima consecutive first-place finishes: 23 years. Reported by Minami-Nippon Shimbun.
Figure 7Kagoshima has topped the competition for 23 straight years.
The numbers behind this chart
Kagoshima's winning streakValue (years)
Kagoshima consecutive first-place finishes23 years
Data: Minami-Nippon Shimbun · compiled by Matcha Wire Download data (CSV)
Shizuoka's competition returns after a gap — Shizuoka Prefectural Tea Competition entries: 265. Reported by Shizuoka Shimbun.
Figure 8Entries fell by 105 even as the competition returned after a three-year gap.
The numbers behind this chart
Shizuoka's competition returns after a gapValue (entries)
Shizuoka Prefectural Tea Competition entries265
Data: Shizuoka Shimbun · compiled by Matcha Wire Download data (CSV)

As always, each number belongs to the outlet that first reported it; Matcha Wire only compiles and compares.

Methodology

Every figure is quoted verbatim from the 117 tea-trade articles Matcha Wire tracked in August 2026, with no rescaling, conversion, or estimation applied.