Editorial Policy

Last reviewed: 2026-09-10. This policy governs all English-language articles on Matcha Times.

Who we are

Matcha Times is a specialist media platform covering the global matcha industry from Japan — markets and pricing, sourcing, production regions, culture, business, and international trade. It is operated by the Japan Matcha Export Organization (JMEX / 日本抹茶輸出機構株式会社), a Japan-based matcha export organization. Articles are produced by the Matcha Times Editorial Team. We do not invent individual bylines, biographies, or credentials.

Why we are qualified to cover this

Our editorial perspective is grounded in JMEX’s first-hand work in matcha export: sourcing from Japanese production regions, supplier coordination, export documentation, OEM and wholesale, and communication with international buyers. Where an article reflects this first-hand experience, we say so; where it does not, we rely on cited primary and official sources.

Editorial independence

Matcha Times is a commercial media operated by an exporter (JMEX). We disclose that relationship openly (see “Commercial relationships”). Editorial judgments — which topics we cover, what we conclude, and which sources we trust — are made on the merits and are not sold. Comparisons and market assessments are written to be useful to buyers, not to flatter any single supplier, including JMEX.

Sources and fact-checking

• Source priority: government / customs / regulators / international bodies > industry associations > JMEX first-hand data > official company information > other reputable secondary sources. Full detail is in our Sources & Methodology.
• Numeric claims — NO SOURCE = NO NUMBER. A specific price, MOQ, tariff, HS code, market size, or volume figure is only published with an inline source and a trade condition; otherwise we state it qualitatively or omit it. We never present retail prices as wholesale, or average across disagreeing sources as if it were one fact.
• Original data. A figure we describe as JMEX/Matcha Times original data is only published when the underlying data actually exists, is anonymised and aggregated, and is approved for release. We never invent “X% of buyers”, average MOQ, or typical order values.
• Regulatory information is cited to the responsible authority and dated, because rules change.

Use of AI

We use software automation and AI assistance to help research, draft, and quality-check articles. AI does not have the final word. Every article passes automated quality and source checks and is subject to human editorial review before publication. Responsibility for accuracy, sourcing, and the final published text rests with the Matcha Times Editorial Team and JMEX — not with any tool.

Commercial relationships & conflicts of interest

Matcha Times is operated by JMEX, which sells and exports matcha. Articles may link to JMEX as a supplier and include a contact call-to-action. This is a disclosed commercial relationship. We label it, and we do not disguise advertising as neutral editorial. Comparison tables are designed so that each company can show genuine strengths, not to make competitors look bad.

Corrections & updates

We correct material errors promptly and, where a price, regulation, or market figure changes, we update the article and note the review date. See our Corrections & Updates page. To report an error, contact us at the address below.

Contact for corrections

Email: info@matcha-times.jp (or use our contact form). Operating company: Japan Matcha Export Organization (JMEX / 日本抹茶輸出機構株式会社).