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

Japan's trade surplus widened 30.9 percent to JPY 626 billion in April 2018 from JPY 478 billion in the same month a year earlier and beating market expectations of a JPY 405.6 billion surplus. Exports increased by 7.8 percent to JPY 6,822 billion, while imports rose at a softer 5.9 percent to JPY 6,196 billion. Considering the first four months of 2018, Japan's trade surplus narrowed to JPY 477 billion from JPY 794 billion in the same period of the previous year. Balance of Trade in Japan averaged 366.06 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 Trade Surplus Widens 30.9% in April


Japan's trade surplus widened 30.9 percent to JPY 626 billion in April 2018 from JPY 478 billion in the same month a year earlier and far above market expectations of a JPY 405.6 billion surplus.

Exports increased by 7.8 percent year-on-year to JPY 6,822 billion in April, following a 2.1 percent rise in the previous month, but missing market expectations of 8.1 percent growth. Sales of transport equipment rose by 11.8 percent, boosted by cars (16.1 percent), and those of machinery went up 8.7 percent, namely power generating machine (5 percent) and semicon machinery (18.2 percent). Also, exports rose for electrical machinery (4.8 percent), of which semiconductors (4.3 percent); chemicals (5 percent); and manufactured goods (4.1 percent).

Among major trading partners, sales to Asia rose 6 percent, mainly to China (10.9 percent), Taiwan (0.8 percent), Hong Kong (1.3 percent) and Singapore (9.7 percent), while those to South Korea (-4.3 percent) and Thailand (-0.4 percent) fell. In addition, exports grew to the US (4.3 percent); the EU (14.1 percent), mainly Germany (14.7 percent) and the UK (21.5 percent); and the Middle East (6.8 percent).
 
Imports went up at a softer 5.9 percent to JPY 6,196 billion in April, compared to a 0.6 percent fall the preceding month and also missing market consensus of a 9.6 percent gain. Purchases of mineral fuels rose by 9.7 percent, namely petroleum (16.9 percent), and those of electrical machinery went up 1.2 percent, in particular semiconductors (5.3 percent). Also imports increased for: chemicals (7.1 percent); machinery (14.1 percent), of which computers and units (6.3 percent); manufactured goods (9.6 percent), of which non-ferrous metals (19.5 percent), iron & steel products (10.5 percent) and manufactures of metals (10.6 percent); foodstuff (3.2 percent), of which meat and meat preparation (10.5 percent) and fruits (4.4 percent). In contrast, imports of transport equipment dropped 5.8 percent, namely aircraft (-39.9 percent).

Imports increased from: China (2.2 percent); South Korea (16.7 percent); Taiwan (9.9 percent); Thailand (12.4 percent); Australia (12.9 percent); the US (3.9 percent); Germany (3 percent); Saudi Arabia (19.1 percent); and the UAE (29.6 percent). On the other hand, imports decreased from Malaysia (-11.2 percent), Russia (-5.7 percent) and the Middle South America (-6.5 percent).
 
In the first four months of the year, Japan's trade surplus narrowed to JPY 477 billion from JPY 794 billion in the same period of the previous year.


Ministry of Finance, Japan | Chusnul Ch Manan | chusnul@tradingeconomics.com
5/21/2018 7:23:14 AM


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Calendar GMT Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
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 ¥626B ¥797B ¥405.6B ¥330B
2018-06-17 11:50 PM Balance of Trade ¥626B ¥ 890.7B
2018-07-18 11:50 PM Balance of Trade ¥ 931.4B
2018-08-15 11:50 PM Balance of Trade ¥ -0.96B


Japan Trade Last Previous Highest Lowest Unit
Balance of Trade 625.98 796.97 1608.67 -2795.12 JPY Billion [+]
Exports 6822.29 7382.66 7681.69 105.08 JPY Billion [+]
Imports 6196.31 6585.69 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
625.98 796.97 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 625.98 Apr/18
Mexico 1917.55 Mar/18
Netherlands 5280.00 Mar/18
Russia 15001.00 Mar/18
South Korea 6611.00 Apr/18
Spain -830631.00 Mar/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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