Japan’s Top Exports & Imports

Cars, motorcycles & computer accessories are big Japanese exports to the U.S. while military apparel & precious metals are fast-growing imports into Japan from America.

Japan exported US$148.1 billion worth of merchandise to the United States in 2006, up 7.3% from 2005 and up 22% in just 4 years.

Japanese imports from the U.S. rose 7.3% to $59.6 billion in 2006, up 16% since 2002.

In terms of the merchandise flow between the two countries, America’s trade deficit with Japan was $88.4 billion in 2006, up 26.4% from 2002. The U.S. trade deficit with Japan increased 7.2% in 2006 from 2005 – down from the 9.2% deficit increase in 2005 from the year earlier.

Japanese Exports to U.S.

Of the $148.1 billion in American imports from Japan in 2006, the following product categories had the highest values.

1. Passenger cars …US$43.5 billion (29.4% of Japan to U.S. exports, up 23.8% from 2005)
2. Car parts & accessories … $10.4 billion (7%, down 6.2%)
3. Other industrial machinery … $5.7 billion (3.8%, up 11%)
4. Computer accessories … $5.4 billion (3.6%, down 1.9%)
5. Video equipment (e.g. DVD players) … $4.9 billion (3.3%, down 14.5%)
6. Electric apparatus & parts … $4.1 billion (2.7%, up 0.2%)
7. Engines & parts … $4.0 billion (2.7%, down 8.8%)
8. Machine tools … $3.8 billion (2.5%, up 17.3%)
9. Semi-conductors … $3.4 billion (2.3%, up 16.8%)
10. Excavating, paving & construction machinery … $3.38 billion (2.3%, up 12.9%)
11. Motorcycles & parts … $3.1 billion (2.1%, up 5.4%)

Fastest-Growing Japanese Exports to U.S.

Below are American imports from Japan in 2006 with the highest percentage sales increases from 2005.

1. Meat products … US$2.8 million (up 70,400% from 2005)
2. Spacecraft … $1.9 million (up 2126%)
3. Zinc … $10.6 million (up 1823%)
4. Fuel oil … $527.3 million (up 340%)
5. Precious metals … $134.1 million (up 106.2%)

Japanese Imports from U.S.

Of the $59.6 billion in American exports to Japan in 2006, the following product categories had the highest values.

1. Civilian aircraft … US$3.5 billion (5.9% of Japan from U.S. imports, up 9.4% from 2005)
2. Medicinal equipment … $2.7 billion (4.5%, down 2.2%)
3. Industrial machines … $2.3 billion (3.9%, up 17.9%)
4. Telecommunications equipment … $2.1 billion (3.5%, up 10.6%)
5. Semi-conductors … $2.06 billion (3.5%, up 10.4%)
6. Corn … $2.0 billion (3.3%, up 22.1%)
7. Pharmaceutical preparations … $1.8 billion (3.0%, up 13.2%)
8. Computer accessories … $1.75 billion (2.9%, down 2.4%)
9. Measuring, testing & control instruments … $1.69 billion (2.8%, up 16.4%)
10. Organic chemicals … $1.4 billion (2.4%, down 6.4%)

Fastest-Growing Japanese Imports from U.S.

Below are American exports to Japan in 2006 with the highest percentage sales increases from 2005.

1. Military apparel & footwear … US$196.3 million (up 185.9% from 2005)
2. Precious metals … $871.6 million (up 117.6%)
3. Copper … $222.2 million (up 78.2%)
4. Fuel oil … $75.6 million (up 77.9%)
5. Aluminum … $304.9 million (up 62.4%)

Sources for this Article

This article presents independent calculations and insights based on data drawn from the CIA World Factbook and the U.S. Census Bureau – Foreign Trade Statistics.

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