Newly developed Japan citrus hybrid likely carried off; saplings on sale in China

TOKYO — The Japanese government said Friday that specimens of a quality citrus hybrid recently developed by Ehime Prefecture in western Japan may have been surreptitiously removed from the country.

The government has confirmed that saplings of Ehime Kashi No. 48, marketed commercially as Beni Princess, have appeared for sale online in China, farm minister Norikazu Suzuki told reporters.

Registered as a new citrus breed in Japan in 2022, Beni Princess began shipping in earnest in March 2025. A local business promotion body touts it as a "citrus thoroughbred" that gets its texture from Beni Madonna and its sweet juice from Kanpei, both of which are original varieties from the prefecture known for its citrus production.

Although the prefecture has applied to register Beni Princess as a new breed in China, the process has yet to be completed.

The farm ministry learned in 2025 that saplings of the new hybrid were being marketed on an online commerce site under a name that means "Beni Princess" in Chinese.

After Japan-developed grape varieties were spirited out to China and South Korea, the government tightened rules against carrying plant seeds and saplings out of the country.

A further tightening of the rules is under consideration, including allowing an injunction to block the removal of a new breed from the country even if it is not yet registered as one.

The government also envisions launching a body specializing in protecting the rights to breeds at home and abroad on behalf of their developers.

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