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Japan’s Top 10 Imports

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Japan’s imports totaled US$785.9 billion worth of products in 2023.

That dollar amount reflects a 9% increase from $721 billion five years earlier for 2019.

Year over year, the overall value of goods imported into Japan withered by -13.2% compared to $905.1 billion during 2022.

Based on the average exchange rate for 2023, the Japanese yen depreciated by -28.9% against the US dollar since 2019 and fell by -6.8% from 2022 to 2023. 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.

From a continental perspective, 59.4% of Japan’s total imports by value in 2023 were purchased from fellow Asian countries. Trade partners in Europe supplied 13.4% of imported product purchases by Japan while another 13.2% worth originated from providers in North America.

Smaller percentages arrived from Oceania (9.1%) led by Australia and Papua New Guineau, Latin America (3.4%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, and Africa (1.4%).

Given Japan’s population of 124.6 million people, its total $785.9 billion worth of 2023 imports translates to $6,300 in yearly product demand from every person in the densely populated Asian island country. That per-capita dollar amount falls far below the average $7,200 one year earlier in 2022.

Japan’s Top 10 Imports

The following product groups represent the highest dollar value in Japan’s import purchases during 2023. Also shown is the percentage share each product category represents in terms of overall imports into Japan.7

  1. Mineral fuels including oil: US$195.5 billion (24.9% of total imports)
  2. Electrical machinery, equipment: $114.9 billion (14.6%)
  3. Machinery including computers: $69.4 billion (8.8%)
  4. Pharmaceuticals: $30.8 billion (3.9%)
  5. Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $28.7 billion (3.7%)
  6. Ores, slag, ash: $26.5 billion (3.4%)
  7. Vehicles: $24.9 billion (3.2%)
  8. Plastics, plastic articles: $16.1 billion (2%)
  9. Organic chemicals: $15.3 billion (1.9%)
  10. Gems, precious metals: $15 billion (1.9%)

Japan’s top 10 imports accounted for over two-thirds (68.4%) of the overall value of its product purchases from other countries.

Vehicles posted the fastest-growing increase in value among Japan’s top 10 import categories, up 63.3% from 2022 to 2023.

The only other growing product category was for Japanese imported optical, technical and medical apparatus via an 8.3% advance.

The severest drop among the top product categories was under the gems and precious metals group via a -26.5% decline from 2022. Japanese imports of gems and precious metals were weighed down by Japan’s lower spending on platinum, silver and gold.

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, see the section Searchable List of Japan’s Most Valuable Import Products further down near the bottom of this article or under the adjacent product folder tabs.

Japan’s Major Fossil Fuel Imports

In 2023, Japanese importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of mineral fuels including oil.

  1. Crude oil: US$80.4 billion (down -20.9% from 2022)
  2. Petroleum gases: $53.3 billion (down -26.6%)
  3. Coal, solid fuels made from coal: $42.4 billion (down -28.9%)
  4. Processed petroleum oils: $17.8 billion (down -12%)
  5. Petroleum oil residues: $1 billion (down -26.2%)
  6. Coke, semi-coke: $328.1 million (down -48.2%)
  7. Coal tar oils (high temperature distillation): $146.6 million (up 20.3%)
  8. Petroleum jelly, mineral waxes: $69.4 million (up 19.4%)
  9. Peat: $31 million (down -26.1%)
  10. Asphalt/petroleum bitumen mixes: $18.3 million (down -26.3%)

Among these import subcategories, Japan’s purchases of high temperature distilled coal tar oils (up 20.3%) and petroleum jelly or mineral waxes (up 19.4) grew from 2022 to 2023.

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 2023, Japanese importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of electronics products.

  1. Integrated circuits/microassemblies: US$28.6 billion (down -10.3% from 2022)
  2. Phone devices including smartphones: $26.2 billion (down -3.4%)
  3. Insulated wire/cable: $8.9 billion (up 4.4%)
  4. Solar power diodes/semi-conductors: $4.5 billion (down -15.7%)
  5. Electrical converters/power units: $4.2 billion (down -1.6%)
  6. Electric storage batteries: $3.8 billion (up 28.3%)
  7. TV receivers/monitors/projectors: $3.2 billion (down -13.1%)
  8. Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $3.1 billion (down -14.1%)
  9. TV receiver/transmit/digital cameras: $2.9 billion (up 8.5%)
  10. Microphones/headphones/amplifiers: $2.3 billion (up 4.5%)

Among these import subcategories, Japan’s purchases of electric storage batteries (up 28.3%), television receivers, transmitters and digital cameras (up 8.5%) then microphones, headphones and amplifiers (up 4.5%) grew at the fastest pace from 2022 to 2023.

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 2023, Japanese importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of machinery including computers.

  1. Computers, optical readers: US$15.3 billion (down -14.1% from 2022)
  2. Turbo-jets: $7.5 billion (up 25%)
  3. Machinery for making semi-conductors: $5.2 billion (down -6.3%)
  4. Printing machinery: $3.4 billion (down -13.7%)
  5. Air or vacuum pumps: $3 billion (up 0.6%)
  6. Machinery parts: $2.7 billion (down -7.2%)
  7. Taps, valves, similar appliances: $2.6 billion (down -2.8%)
  8. Air conditioners: $2.5 billion (down -11.4%)
  9. Computer parts, accessories: $2.3 billion (down -5.9%)
  10. Miscellaneous machinery: $2.1 billion (down -0.04%)

Among these import subcategories, Japan’s purchases of turbo-jets (up 25%) then air or vacuum pumps (up 0.6%) grew from 2022 to 2023.

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 2023, Japanese importers spent the most on the following subcategories of pharmaceuticals.

  1. Medication mixes in dosage: US$15.5 billion (down -12.8% from 2022)
  2. Blood fractions (including antisera): $13.9 billion (down -31.1%)
  3. Sutures, special pharmaceutical goods: $711.1 million (down -0.8%)
  4. Medication mixes not in dosage: $388.9 million (down -1.7%)
  5. Packaged dressings: $216.2 million (down -7.6%)
  6. Dried organs, heparin: $113.9 million (up 2.5%)

Among these import subcategories, Japan’s purchases of dried organs and heparin was the lone gainers via its 2.5% advance from 2022 to 2023.

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 March 22, 2024

Imported Consumer Products, Japan’s Top 100 Imported Consumer Products. Accessed on March 22, 2024

International Monetary Fund, Exchange Rates selected indicators (National Currency per U.S. dollar, period average). Accessed on March 22, 2024

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on March 22, 2024