In a move that reshapes the Pacific pearl trade, President Oscar Manutahi Temaru presided over the signing of a landmark deal between French Polynesia and Japan’s Tahiti Pearl Promotion Society (TPJ) – the powerhouse controlling 77% of Japan’s Tahitian pearl market since 1993.
The Players
- Polynesian Heavyweights: VP Antony Géros & Marine Minister Temauri Foster
- TPJ Delegation: President Kazuya Okuda + board members Andy Muller/Koji Isowa
- The Broker: Hinano Teanotoga, Director of Maison de la Perle
The Deal
✒️ 18M XPF (≈€150K) committed for 2012 promotions
🎯 Exclusive Focus: Reigniting Japan’s waning passion for Tahitian black pearls
🔍 Quality Pledge: Foster guarantees DRM’s X-ray thickness checks (≥0.8mm nacre)
Why Tokyo Matters
- 2011 Crisis: TPJ boycotted auctions after Citizen watch deal controversy
- Market Shock: Japan’s purchases plummeted 42% post-GIE Perles dissolution
- Redemption Arc: This pact ends 3 years of fractured relations
Behind Closed Doors
- Okuda demanded stricter size grading (12mm+ preference)
- Teanotoga secured “Made in Tahiti” branding rights
- Unspoken Win: TPJ gets first refusal on 20% of premium harvests
What’s Next
- September 2012: Tokyo’s Ginza district to host “Tahiti Pearl Week”
- New Campaign: “Real Pearls Have DNA” targeting Gen Z collectors
Leave a Reply