Panel
2025
Quality Awards Jury:
Olive Oil Analysis Experts
The judging team for the JOOTA AWARDS Quality Award is composed of tasters and panel leaders who have been selected as top experts from Japan and overseas to perform quality evaluation and sensory analysis of olive oil.
In major olive oil producing countries such as Europe and the Mediterranean countries, olive oil specialists called “tasters” (and the panel) certified by governments and public organizations are responsible for sensory analysis of olive oil in order to protect the quality of olive oil.
The Japan Olive Oil Taster Association has true experts who have been trained in accordance with the formal regulations of its international standards of IOC and is working to improve the quality of olive oil and contribute to the development of the olive culture and industry.
As a specialist institution that evaluates olive oil quality to the world standard in Japan, we maintain a neutral and impartial position and build a network with institutions, organizations and experts around the world.
Because our association is an organization based on such activities, top experts in quality evaluation gather to achieve high-level judgement.
Giulio Scatolini
Plácido Pascual Morales
Vasilis Kamvisis
Raffaele Disanti
Himeyo Nagatomo
Akiko Iguchi
Sekiyo Mizuno
Hazuki Nonaka
Chisato Kurihara
Yusuke Kitatani
Special Awards Jury:
Industry Professionals
The JOOTA Awards special prize is judged by top industry professionals, including chefs and distributors. These experts select the best extra virgin olive oil from each perspective and give special prizes. Through this selection, we will create a deeper value in the Japanese market for extra virgin olive oil and the people that make it great.
Chef's Awards Judges
Celebrated Top Chefs
Yohei Abe
Italian Dining Zillion Chef
Kohei Hatashita
Keiichiro Hayashi
Chef de Cuisine /
F&B Operations Manager
Masakazu Horii
Department Store Buyers' Awards Judges
There are High quality, Elegance, Luxury, Tradition…
From the most famous and largest Japanese Department Stores.
Yoshihide Sugizaki
Merchandising Group Ⅰ
Promotion Merchandising Division Foods Buyer
Koichi Kamimura
MERCHANDISING HEADQUARTERS
FOODS DIVISION MERCHANDISER
Luxury Supermarket Buyers' Awards Judges
Top Elite buyers of Luxury Supermarkets that handle high-quality products.
Takamasa Oono
Tadayuki Iwasaki
Manager&Buyer
Mako Isoda
QUEEN'S ISETAN Buyer
Fumiaki Maruoka
Masashi Miyajima
DEAN & DELUCA DIVISION
MERCHANDISING DEPARTMENT CHIEFBUYER
*Titles, affiliations, and honorifics of the Special Awards judges are as of the time of judging.
Enter the competition today!
Your olive oil is one-of-a-kind, and it’s time to show that to the world! Submit your product to the JOOTA AWARDS and start your journey towards conquering the market of Japan.

