KYOTO, May 06 (News On Japan) –
A standard tea maker in Kyoto is elevating considerations over Chinese-made merchandise being offered beneath the title “Uji matcha,” a time period lengthy related to premium inexperienced tea grown and produced in components of Kyoto Prefecture.
The firm, Marukyu Koyamaen, says it found its well-known product names, equivalent to “Seiran” and “Wakae,” getting used with out permission on matcha offered by on-line retailers in China, with packaging that strongly resembles its personal.
Marukyu Koyamaen, a long-established firm courting again to the Edo interval, is thought for its high-quality matcha made by grinding tea leaves cultivated in particular areas, together with Kyoto. Its flagship merchandise have been extremely wanted abroad, to the purpose that gross sales have been as soon as quickly restricted to fulfill demand. The president of the corporate, Koyama, expressed frustration after discovering a Chinese firm promoting matcha labeled as “Uji matcha,” full with comparable names and packaging. However, the positive print reveals the merchandise are manufactured in Shanghai, not Japan.
One such product bore the title of the corporate’s personal model however was fully unrelated. An in depth inspection of the colour and style revealed notable variations. While the Kyoto product had a deep inexperienced hue and a wealthy taste, the Chinese model appeared yellowish and lacked the signature bitterness and aroma. Koyama emphasised that this not solely misleads customers but additionally undermines the fame painstakingly constructed over generations. “To have our tea—nurtured with such care—violated in this way is deeply frustrating,” he mentioned.
Under Chinese legislation, the time period “Uji matcha” isn’t trademarked, so there may be technically no violation inside China. The Shanghai-based firm behind the Chinese product claims that it started operations in 2006 with the objective of reviving Chinese traditions of powdered tea. The firm’s web site even shows a press release suggesting their efforts are supported by tea masters from Kyoto, and that they’ve launched gear and methods from Japan.
When confronted by the Japanese press, the corporate acknowledged utilizing each “Uji matcha” and a barely altered model, “Oji matcha,” on its merchandise. They denied any intent to deceive customers and insisted that a number of firms use comparable names. “If this is considered imitation, then other companies would be guilty too,” a consultant said over the cellphone, including, “We’ve completed all procedures properly. We don’t see how this could mislead consumers.”
However, authorized consultants in Japan warn that even beneath Chinese legislation, deceptive use of a model title—particularly one that would trigger confusion in regards to the product’s origin—should still represent a authorized drawback. If customers are led to consider that the product is made in Kyoto or affiliated with a selected Japanese model, it might violate legal guidelines regarding origin labeling and model misrepresentation.
Despite this, taking authorized motion stays tough. There are a number of firms in China advertising and marketing matcha beneath the Uji title, and every must be individually sued. Legal prices, jurisdictional hurdles, and restricted safety for unregistered international emblems in China complicate issues for Japanese corporations.
As the worldwide reputation of matcha continues to rise, consultants and producers are calling for extra strong worldwide safeguards to guard Japan’s conventional industries. Without pressing countermeasures, merchandise labeled “Uji matcha” might proceed circulating removed from Kyoto, whereas undermining the integrity of a cherished cultural image.
Source: MBS