Japan’s imports totaled US$742.9 billion worth of products in 2024.

That dollar amount reflects a 17.1% increase from $634.7 billion five years earlier for 2020.

Year over year, the overall value of goods imported into Japan reduced by -5.5% compared to $786.4 billion during 2023.

Based on the average exchange rate for 2024, the Japanese yen depreciated by -6.7% against the US dollar from 2023 to 2024. Japan’s weaker local currency made Japanese imports paid for in stronger US dollars relatively more expensive when converted for buyers starting from the weaker Japanese yen.

Japan’s Best International Product Suppliers

The latest available country-specific data shows that 73.9% of products imported into Japan was furnished by exporters in: mainland China (22.5% of the Japanese total), United States of America (11.4%), Australia (7.1%), United Arab Emirates (5%), South Korea (4.2%), Taiwan (4.1%), Saudi Arabia (4%), Vietnam (3.6%), Thailand (3.3%), Indonesia (3.1%), Germany (2.9%) and Malaysia (2.6%).

From a continental perspective, 59.7% of Japan’s total imports by value in 2024 was purchased from fellow Asian countries. Trade partners in North America supplied 14% of imported product purchases by Japan while another 13.7% worth originated from providers in Europe.

Smaller percentages arrived from suppliers in Oceania (7.9%) led by Australia, Papua New Guinea and New Zealand, Latin America (3.4%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, and Africa (1.2%).

Given Japan’s population of 123.9 million people, its total $742.9 billion worth of 2024 imports translates to $6,000 in yearly product demand from every person in the densely populated Asian island country. That per-capita dollar amount lags the average $6,300 one year earlier in 2023.

Japan’s Top 10 Imports

The following product groups represent the highest dollar value in Japan’s import purchases during 2024. Also shown is the percentage share each product category represents in terms of overall imports into Japan.7

1. Mineral fuels including oil: US$168.8 billion (22.7% of total imports)
2. Electrical machinery, equipment: $106.2 billion (14.3%)
3. Machinery including computers: $72.7 billion (9.8%)
4. Pharmaceuticals: $30.3 billion (4.1%)
5. Ores, slag, ash: $27.8 billion (3.7%)
6. Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $27.3 billion (3.7%)
7. Vehicles: $23 billion (3.1%)
8. Plastics, plastic articles: $16.1 billion (2.2%)
9. Gems, precious metals: $15.2 billion (2%)
10. Organic chemicals: $14.7 billion (2%)

Japan’s top 10 import product categories generated just over two-thirds (67.6%) of overall value of Japanese product purchases from other countries.

Ores, slag and ash posted the fastest-growing increase in value among Japan’s top 10 import categories, up 5.3% from 2023 to 2024.

The only other growing product categories were for Japanese imported machinery including computers (up 4.7%) and imports of gems and precious metals (up 1.4%).

The severest drop among the top product categories was under the mineral fuels including oil group via a -13.5% decline from 2023. Japanese imports of energy-related goods were weighed down by Japan’s lower spending on coal, crude oil and petroleum gases.

Note that the results listed above are at the categorized two-digit Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) code level. For a more detailed view of imported goods at the four-digit HTS code level, peruse the sections below.

Japan’s Major Fossil Fuel Imports

In 2024, Japanese importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of mineral fuels including oil.

1. Crude oil: US$71.9 billion (down -11.4% from 2023)
2. Petroleum gases: $47.3 billion (down -10.4%)
3. Coal, solid fuels made from coal: $30 billion (down -28.4%)
4. Processed petroleum oils: $18.3 billion (up 2.7%)
5. Petroleum oil residues: $743.8 million (down -25.9%)
6. Coke, semi-coke: $269.6 million (down -18.1%)
7. Coal tar oils (high temperature distillation): $133.2 million (down -10.5%)
8. Petroleum jelly, mineral waxes: $67.1 million (down -3.3%)
9. Peat: $27.6 million (down -10.3%)
10. Tar pitch, coke: $9.7 million (down -36.3%)

Among these import subcategories, Japan’s purchases of processed petroleum oils represent the lone gainer from 2023 to 2024 via its 2.7% advance.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported mineral fuels-related goods among Japanese businesses and consumers.

Japan’s Major Electronics Imports

In 2024, Japanese importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of electronics products.

1. Phone devices including smartphones: US$26.1 billion (down -0.9% from 2023)
2. Integrated circuits/microassemblies: $23.2 billion (down -19.2%)
3. Insulated wire/cable: $8.5 billion (down -4.6%)
4. Electrical converters/power units: $3.8 billion (down -9.9%)
5. Solar power diodes/semi-conductors: $3.6 billion (down -19.2%)
6. Electric storage batteries: $3.5 billion (down -8.3%)
7. TV receivers/monitors/projectors: $3.4 billion (up 4.4%)
8. TV receiver/transmit/digital cameras: $2.8 billion (down -1.6%)
9. Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $2.6 billion (down -13.2%)
10. Microphones/headphones/amps: $2.3 billion (down -0.9%)

Among these import subcategories, Japan’s purchases of television receivers, monitors and projectors was the lone gainer from 2023 to 2024 via its 4.4% upturn.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported electronics among Japanese businesses and consumers.

Japan’s Major Machinery Imports

In 2024, Japanese importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of machinery including computers.

1. Computers, optical readers: US$19 billion (up 25.3% from 2023)
2. Turbo-jets: $8.9 billion (up 18.3%)
3. Machinery for making semi-conductors: $5.3 billion (down -1.3%)
4. Printing machinery: $3.3 billion (down -1.9%)
5. Air or vacuum pumps: $2.9 billion (down -3.3%)
6. Air conditioners: $2.5 billion (up 1.9%)
7. Computer parts, accessories: $2.5 billion (up 4.9%)
8. Taps, valves, similar appliances: $2.5 billion (down -4.3%)
9. Machinery parts: $2.3 billion (down -13.7%)
10. Piston engine parts: $2.2 billion (up 1.1%)

Among these import subcategories, Japan’s purchases of computers including optical readers (up 25.3%), turbo-jets (up 18.3%) then computer parts or accessories (up 4.9%) grew at the fastest pace from 2023 to 2024.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported machinery among Japanese businesses and consumers.

Japan’s Major Pharmaceuticals Imports

In 2024, Japanese importers spent the most on the following subcategories of pharmaceuticals.

1. Medication mixes in dosage: US$15.2 billion (down -1.6% from 2023)
2. Blood fractions (including antisera): $13.7 billion (down -2%)
3. Sutures, special pharmaceutical goods: $653.1 million (down -8.2%)
4. Medication mixes not in dosage: $357.1 million (down -7.9%)
5. Packaged dressings: $220.3 million (up 1.8%)
6. Dried organs, heparin: $97.2 million (down -15.5%)

Among these import subcategories, Japan’s purchases of packaged dressings recorded the lone gain from 2023 to 2024 via a 1.8% increase.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported technical equipment among Japanese businesses and consumers.
 

 

See also Japan’s Top 10 Exports, Japan’s Top Trading Partners, Top Japanese Trade Balances and Japan’s Top 10 Major Export Companies

Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook: Country Profiles. Accessed on February 16, 2025

Imported Consumer Products, Japan’s Top 100 Imported Consumer Products. Accessed on February 16, 2025

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on February 16, 2025

X-rates.com, Exchange Rates: Japanese Yen to US Dollar (monthly average 2024). Accessed on February 16, 2025