What Japan's long lives can (and can't) teach us about tea

Japanese women have led the world in life expectancy for more than 40 years. In 2025, Japan's Ministry of Health reported an average of 87.33 years for women and 81.35 for men. Many things contribute: diet, universal healthcare, active daily routines, strong community ties. Green tea is part of that picture too.

The study everyone cites

In 2006, researchers led by Shinichi Kuriyama published the Ohsaki study in the Journal of the American Medical Association. They followed more than 40,000 Japanese adults aged 40 to 79 for about 11 years. People who drank five or more cups of green tea a day had a lower risk of dying from any cause during the study, and a notably lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, than people who drank less than one cup.

Later studies in Japan and meta-analyses of cohorts across Asia have found similar associations between regular green tea drinking and lower all-cause mortality.

What it doesn't prove

These are observational studies. They show that tea drinkers tended to live longer, not that tea was the reason. People who drink a lot of green tea may also eat differently, move more or smoke less. Researchers adjust for this, but they can't rule it out completely.

How we think about it

We don't sell matcha as a longevity pill. We see it as a daily anchor: a small, pleasant habit that tends to travel with other good ones. A slower morning. A clearer head. Less sugar and fewer energy drinks. Done for years, those small choices add up.

Sources: Kuriyama S et al., JAMA, 2006; Japan Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, abridged life tables, 2025.

Matcha is a food, not a medicine. This article is for general information and isn't medical advice. If you're pregnant, sensitive to caffeine or taking medication, talk to your doctor first.