the Japanese word is a borrowing from Old Chinese 蜜 mit, which is a borrowing from proto-Tocharian (from an extinct branch of the Indo-European family found in western China). That means "mitsu" and "mead" are cognates.

the Japanese word is a borrowing from Old Chinese 蜜 mit, which is a borrowing from proto-Tocharian (from an extinct branch of the Indo-European family found in western China). That means "mitsu" and "mead" are cognates.