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Kenya has started exporting specialty coffee to Japan under a new quality partnership with the Japan Coffee Association. The first shipment of 50 tonnes of AA and PB lots from Nyeri and Kirinyaga fetched Ksh25,000 per 50kg bag—50% above auction average. Japanese roasters value Kenya’s bright acidity and floral notes, with demand growing in Tokyo and Osaka specialty cafes. The Coffee Board of Kenya is training 50 cooperatives in Japanese taste preferences and packaging standards. Direct air cargo links via Kenya Airways will scale shipments to 200 tonnes by 2025, opening a high-value market for Kenyan smallholders.