Japan Balance of Trade  1963-2018 | Data | Chart | Calendar | Forecast

Japan's trade surplus widened 32.1 percent to JPY 797.3 billion in March 2018 from JPY 603.5 billion in the same month a year earlier and far above market expectations of a JPY 498 billion surplus. It was the largest trade surplus since February last year, as exports rose while imports fell for the first time since December 2016. Balance of Trade in Japan averaged 365.67 JPY Billion from 1963 until 2018, reaching an all time high of 1608.67 JPY Billion in September of 2007 and a record low of -2795.12 JPY Billion in January of 2014.

Japan Balance of Trade
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Japan Posts Largest Trade Surplus in Over a Year


Japan's trade surplus widened 32.1 percent to JPY 797.3 billion in March 2018 from JPY 603.5 billion in the same month a year earlier and far above market expectations of a JPY 498 billion surplus. It was the largest trade surplus since February last year.

Exports increased by 2.1 percent year-on-year to JPY 7,382 billion in March, following a 1.8 percent rise in the previous month and missing market expectations of 4.7 percent growth. Sales of machinery went up 10.2 percent, namely power generating machine (10.8 percent) and semicon machinery (16.8 percent). Also, exports rose for electrical machinery (3.2 percent), of which semiconductors (4.3 percent); chemicals (8.2 percent); and manufactured goods (4.6 percent). In contrast, sales fell for transport equipment (-1.7 percent), namely bus & truck (-5.5 percent), ships (-29.6 percent), and aircraft (-18.7 percent); and others (-9.3 percent), of which scientific, optical instruments (-2.4 percent).

Exports rose to Asia (4.5 percent), mainly to China (10.8 percent), Taiwan (0.7 percent), Thailand (13.8 percent); the US (0.2 percent); the EU (0.3 percent), mainly Germany (9.6 percent) and the Netherlands (5.8 percent); and the Middle East (9.3 percent). By contrast, exports fell to Hong Kong (-15.5 percent), South Korea (-3.2 percent), Singapore (-0.9 percent) and the UK (-29.2 percent). 

Imports unexpectedly declined by 0.6 percent to JPY 6,585 billion in March, compared to a 16.6 percent surge in the preceding month and also missing market consensus of a 5.4 percent gain. It was the first import contraction since December 2016, as purchases fell for: electrical machinery (-6.4 percent), of which semiconductors (-3.7 percent) and telephony, telegraphy (-5.8 percent); and others (-13.4 percent), namely clothing and accessories (-20.1 percent). Also, inbound shipments of manufactured goods declined 4.7 percent, due to iron & steel products (-4.1 percent) and manufactures of metals (-13.5 percent); and purchases of foodstuff decreased 5.2 percent, namely fish and fish preparation (-12.6 percent) and meat and meat preperation (-4.3 percent). In contrast, imports grew for: mineral fuels (6.9 percent), namely petroleum (5.7 percent); chemicals (1.2 percent); machinery (6.6 percent), of which computers and units (9.4 percent); and transport equipment (18.3 percent), namely motor vehicles (45.8 percent).

Among major trading partners, imports fell from China (-16.8 percent) and Saudi Arabia (-10.2 percent), while increased from Taiwan (3.2 percent), South Korea (12.8 percent), the US (0.6 percent), Germany (21.2 percent) and the UAE (20.8 percent).

In the first quarter of the year, Japan posted a trade deficit of JPY 148.4 billion, compared with a JPY 316.1 billion surplus in the same period of the previous year.


Ministry of Finance l Rida Husna | rida@tradingeconomics.com
4/18/2018 10:18:10 AM


Recent Releases

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Japan Unexpectedly Records Trade Surplus in November
Japan posted a JPY 113.4 billion trade surplus in November of 2017, following a JPY 146.5 billion surplus a year earlier and beating market expectations of a JPY 55 billion deficit. Exports jumped 16.2 percent year-on-year with sales to China hitting a record high. Meanwhile, imports grew 17.2 percent, reaching the highest since July of 2015.
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Calendar GMT Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2018-02-18 11:50 PM Balance of Trade ¥-943B ¥359B ¥-1002B ¥-900B
2018-03-18 11:50 PM Balance of Trade ¥3B ¥-944B ¥-100B ¥-105.6B
2018-04-17 11:50 PM Balance of Trade ¥797B ¥3B ¥498B ¥ 638B
2018-05-20 11:50 PM Balance of Trade ¥797B ¥405.6B ¥330B
2018-06-17 11:50 PM Balance of Trade ¥ 890.7B
2018-07-18 11:50 PM Balance of Trade ¥ 703.9B


Japan Trade Last Previous Highest Lowest Unit
Balance of Trade 797.35 2.55 1608.67 -2795.12 JPY Billion [+]
Exports 7381.87 6463.31 7681.69 105.08 JPY Billion [+]
Imports 6584.53 6460.75 8047.03 162.06 JPY Billion [+]
Current Account 3122.30 2076.02 3360.40 -1456.10 JPY Billion [+]
Current Account to GDP 4.02 3.70 4.70 -1.00 percent [+]
External Debt 404921.00 408292.00 408292.00 141743.00 JPY Billion [+]
Terms of Trade 99.80 100.20 276.10 83.10 Index Points [+]
Foreign Direct Investment 9283.00 8202.42 45202.00 -3825.00 JPY Hundreds Million [+]
Capital Flows 45639.00 15267.00 51843.00 -26928.00 JPY HML [+]
Tourism Revenues 16296000.00 14040000.00 23192000.00 821000.00 JPY Thousand [+]
Tourist Arrivals 2900700.00 2607900.00 2900700.00 225806.00 [+]
Gold Reserves 765.20 765.22 765.22 753.54 Tonnes [+]
Terrorism Index 3.60 2.45 3.60 0.00 [+]
Crude Oil Production 4.00 4.00 13.00 3.00 BBL/D/1K [+]

Exports by Country  |   Exports by Category  |   Imports by Country  |   Imports by Category



Japan Balance of Trade

Between 1980 and 2010 Japan had been recording trade surpluses every year due to rising exports. Since the Fukushima nuclear disaster in March 2011, trade balance swing to deficit as the country had to increase purchases of fossil fuels and gas in the wake of weaker yen. The surplus was back in 2016 and 2017. Japan reports the biggest trade surpluses with United States, Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and Netherlands. The biggest trade deficits are recorded with: China, Australia, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Russia, Malaysia and Indonesia. This page provides - Japan Balance of Trade - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news. Japan Balance of Trade - actual data, historical chart and calendar of releases - was last updated on May of 2018.

Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
797.35 2.55 1608.67 -2795.12 1963 - 2018 JPY Billion Monthly
Current Prices, NSA




balance of trade by Country
Country Last
Australia 1527.00 Mar/18
Brazil 6140.00 Apr/18
Canada -4139.60 Mar/18
China 287.80 Apr/18
Euro Area 26932.60 Mar/18
France -5258.00 Mar/18
Germany 25187.00 Mar/18
India -13720.00 Apr/18
Indonesia -1629.30 Apr/18
Italy 4531.06 Mar/18
Japan 797.35 Mar/18
Mexico 1917.55 Mar/18
Netherlands 5280.00 Mar/18
Russia 15001.00 Mar/18
South Korea 6611.00 Apr/18
Spain -2167000.00 Feb/18
Switzerland 2315.30 Mar/18
Turkey -5855.00 Mar/18
United Kingdom -3091.00 Mar/18
United States -48956.00 Mar/18


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