globaltraffic.earth

Trade between Belgium and Japan

In 2024, Belgium exported $3.5 billion to Japan and imported $8.3 billion. Belgium ran a deficit of $4.8 billion with Japan, compared with a deficit of $6.2 billion in 2019. Japan was Belgium’s 13th largest trading partner (2% of its trade), and Belgium was Japan’s 24th (0.8%).

Summary

Belgium → Japan
$3.5billion
Japan → Belgium
$8.3billion
Belgium’s balance
-$4.8billion

Balance

Belgium’s trade balance with Japan

Trade between Belgium and Japan grew 80% since 1995

USD billions (current). Belgium’s exports and imports; bars: its balance (green surplus, red deficit).

  • Exports 3.5
  • Imports 8.3
  • Balance -4.8

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
YearExportsImportsTrade balance
1995$2.4 billion$4.2 billion-$1.7 billion
1996$2.4 billion$4.1 billion-$1.7 billion
1997$1.9 billion$4.2 billion-$2.2 billion
1998$1.6 billion$4.6 billion-$3 billion
1999$1.8 billion$5.2 billion-$3.4 billion
2000$1.9 billion$5.7 billion-$3.8 billion
2001$1.6 billion$5.3 billion-$3.7 billion
2002$1.6 billion$6.4 billion-$4.8 billion
2003$2.1 billion$7.6 billion-$5.6 billion
2004$2.2 billion$9.1 billion-$6.8 billion
2005$2.4 billion$9 billion-$6.6 billion
2006$2.2 billion$9.5 billion-$7.3 billion
2007$2.1 billion$10.4 billion-$8.3 billion
2008$2.4 billion$11.8 billion-$9.4 billion
2009$2.1 billion$9.3 billion-$7.2 billion
2010$2.4 billion$8.1 billion-$5.7 billion
2011$3.5 billion$7.2 billion-$3.8 billion
2012$2.8 billion$6.6 billion-$3.8 billion
2013$2.6 billion$6.5 billion-$3.9 billion
2014$2.6 billion$6.8 billion-$4.2 billion
2015$2.2 billion$6.3 billion-$4.1 billion
2016$2.6 billion$7 billion-$4.4 billion
2017$2.8 billion$7.2 billion-$4.4 billion
2018$3.1 billion$7.6 billion-$4.5 billion
2019$3.4 billion$9.6 billion-$6.2 billion
2020$3.2 billion$8.7 billion-$5.4 billion
2021$6.7 billion$8.7 billion-$2.1 billion
2022$7.3 billion$8.9 billion-$1.7 billion
2023$4 billion$8.7 billion-$4.7 billion
2024$3.5 billion$8.3 billion-$4.8 billion

What they sell each other

What Belgium sells to Japan

The top 10 headings in 2024, with their share of the total.

  1. Vaccines, blood and antisera$1.4 billion · 39.1%
    128 tonnes · Belgium’s destinations
  2. Medicines in measured doses or retail packs$383 million · 10.8%
    835 tonnes · Belgium’s destinations
  3. Nucleic acids and other heterocycles$114 million · 3.2%
    317 tonnes
  4. Diamonds$113 million · 3.2%
    Belgium’s destinations
  5. Bulk medicines$103 million · 2.9%
    90 tonnes
  6. Orthopedic and hearing devices$95 million · 2.7%
    48 tonnes
  7. Platinum$92 million · 2.6%
    3 tonnes · Belgium’s destinations
  8. Frozen vegetables$71 million · 2%
    41 thousand tonnes
  9. Raw tobacco$58 million · 1.6%
    9 thousand tonnes
  10. Cars$58 million · 1.6%
    3 thousand tonnes · Belgium’s destinations

What Japan sells to Belgium

The top 10 headings in 2024, with their share of the total.

  1. Cars$5.4 billion · 64.4%
    242 thousand tonnes · Japan’s destinations
  2. Auto parts$241 million · 2.9%
    17 thousand tonnes · Japan’s destinations
  3. Medical and dental instruments$228 million · 2.7%
    1 thousand tonnes · Japan’s destinations
  4. New tires$171 million · 2.1%
    22 thousand tonnes · Japan’s destinations
  5. Motorcycles$152 million · 1.8%
    4 thousand tonnes · Japan’s destinations
  6. Centrifuges and filters$151 million · 1.8%
    1 thousand tonnes
  7. Acrylic polymers$91 million · 1.1%
    56 thousand tonnes
  8. Nonwoven fabric$90 million · 1.1%
    1 thousand tonnes
  9. Other pharmaceutical goods$62 million · 0.75%
    185 tonnes
  10. Orthopedic and hearing devices$46 million · 0.56%
    75 tonnes

How it travels

Estimated sea route from Antwerp to Yokohama.

The estimated sea route between Antwerp and Yokohama is 14,960 nautical miles (27,705 km) long: ≈ 34.5–44.5 days at sea (at 18 and 14 knots).

Because of the 2024 disruptions, traffic is split: 85% via the Strait of Dover, the Cape of Good Hope and the Strait of Malacca and Singapore (14,960 nautical miles); and 15% via the Strait of Dover, the Strait of Gibraltar, the Suez Canal, the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and the Strait of Malacca and Singapore (11,506 nautical miles).

Sailing estimate without port calls, waiting or transshipment; not a schedule. One main reference port per country: in large countries it does not represent all of its ports.

Split by transport mode

  1. Sea$7.8 billion · 65.9%
  2. Air$4.1 billion · 34.1%

Mode estimated from value per kilo and geography; both directions together.

How much each matters to the other

Japan was Belgium’s 13th largest trading partner (2% of its trade), and Belgium was Japan’s 24th (0.8%).

Japan in Belgium’s trade
1.5%
Japan’s rank among Belgium’s partners
13th
Belgium in Japan’s trade
0.8%
Belgium’s rank among Japan’s partners
24th

Compare with

Other partners of Belgium

Other partners of Japan

Sources and methodology

Sources and licenses

Methodology

Goods trade from CEPII BACI (BACI_HS92_V202601), in current US dollars, with exports and imports reconciled between countries. The transport mode is our own estimate based on value per kilo and geography. The sea route comes from our own network derived from World Bank shipping density (not from nautical charts), between one main reference port per country (World Port Index); days are the distance at 14 and 18 knots, without port calls or waiting. Data up to 2024.

Hong Kong, Singapore, the Netherlands and Belgium re-export goods from other countries: their figures include transit.