Japan joins the ICO

The International Coffee Organization (ICO) has announced that Japan has become its eighth Importing Member. The world’s fourth largest consumer joins the European Union, Norway, Russia, Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey, and the United States in the Importing Member category. Executive Director Robério Oliveira Silva said the ICO has been in talks with Japan for some time about the possibility of them joining. “Japan has one of the most vibrant and respected coffee industries in the world,” said Silva, in a statement. “Today I am delighted to welcome Japan as our newest Member.” Japan registered total consumption of 7.5 million bags in calendar year 2014, trailing only the US, Brazil and Germany. “Over the past four years, coffee consumption in Japan has continued to show strong growth of around 2.2 per cent per annum,” said the ICO. “This equates to a per capita consumption of 3.5 kilograms of coffee per annum.” The ICO’s Member States represent 95 per cent of world coffee production and now, with the accession of Japan, 83 per cent of world consumption.