globaltraffic.earth

Trade between China and Japan

In 2024, China exported $163.4 billion to Japan and imported $137.6 billion. China ran a surplus of $25.8 billion with Japan, compared with a surplus of $14 billion in 2019. Japan was China’s 3rd largest trading partner (5% of its trade), and China was Japan’s largest (20%).

Summary

China → Japan
$163.4billion
Japan → China
$137.6billion
China’s balance
$25.8billion

Balance

China’s trade balance with Japan

Trade between China and Japan grew 4.8-fold since 1995

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

  • Exports 163
  • Imports 138
  • Balance +25.8

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
YearExportsImportsTrade balance
1995$35 billion$27.2 billion$7.8 billion
1996$39 billion$26.8 billion$12.2 billion
1997$41.1 billion$27.1 billion$14 billion
1998$36.6 billion$26.1 billion$10.5 billion
1999$42.3 billion$30.6 billion$11.8 billion
2000$53.6 billion$38.3 billion$15.3 billion
2001$56.3 billion$39.5 billion$16.9 billion
2002$61 billion$49.3 billion$11.7 billion
2003$73.8 billion$68.2 billion$5.6 billion
2004$91.6 billion$87.5 billion$4.1 billion
2005$104.6 billion$93.1 billion$11.5 billion
2006$113.8 billion$105.9 billion$8 billion
2007$123 billion$122.2 billion$819 million
2008$138.6 billion$135.5 billion$3.2 billion
2009$119.5 billion$119.4 billion$95 million
2010$149.4 billion$160.3 billion-$11 billion
2011$177.5 billion$175.7 billion$1.8 billion
2012$175.4 billion$159.1 billion$16.3 billion
2013$166.3 billion$145.1 billion$21.3 billion
2014$165.7 billion$144.4 billion$21.3 billion
2015$148.8 billion$125.5 billion$23.3 billion
2016$151.3 billion$128 billion$23.3 billion
2017$152.6 billion$143.6 billion$8.9 billion
2018$170.3 billion$155.7 billion$14.7 billion
2019$157 billion$143 billion$14 billion
2020$161.8 billion$153.5 billion$8.3 billion
2021$171.4 billion$180.4 billion-$8.9 billion
2022$186.4 billion$159.6 billion$26.8 billion
2023$169.5 billion$141.1 billion$28.3 billion
2024$163.4 billion$137.6 billion$25.8 billion

What they sell each other

What China sells to Japan

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

  1. Cameras and broadcast equipment$19.8 billion · 12.1%
    34 thousand tonnes
  2. Computers$10.7 billion · 6.6%
    36 thousand tonnes · China’s destinations
  3. Computer and office machine parts$4.2 billion · 2.6%
    101 thousand tonnes
  4. Auto parts$3.8 billion · 2.4%
    514 thousand tonnes · China’s destinations
  5. Batteries$2.5 billion · 1.5%
    87 thousand tonnes · China’s destinations
  6. Sweaters and pullovers$2.4 billion · 1.4%
    117 thousand tonnes
  7. Transformers and power supplies$2.3 billion · 1.4%
    84 thousand tonnes
  8. Toys$2.2 billion · 1.3%
    119 thousand tonnes · China’s destinations
  9. Other plastic articles$2.1 billion · 1.3%
    346 thousand tonnes
  10. Cables and wire$2.1 billion · 1.3%
    97 thousand tonnes · China’s destinations

What Japan sells to China

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

  1. Other industrial machines$17 billion · 12.3%
    131 thousand tonnes
  2. Microchips$14.7 billion · 10.7%
    3 thousand tonnes · Japan’s destinations
  3. Cars$7 billion · 5.1%
    383 thousand tonnes · Japan’s destinations
  4. Auto parts$3.1 billion · 2.2%
    217 thousand tonnes · Japan’s destinations
  5. Plastic sheets and film$2.9 billion · 2.1%
    211 thousand tonnes
  6. Capacitors$2.8 billion · 2%
    10 thousand tonnes
  7. Diodes, transistors and solar cells$2.7 billion · 2%
    2 thousand tonnes
  8. Refined copper$2.3 billion · 1.7%
    248 thousand tonnes · Japan’s destinations
  9. Copper scrap$2.2 billion · 1.6%
    270 thousand tonnes
  10. Low-voltage switches and connectors$2.1 billion · 1.6%
    22 thousand tonnes

How it travels

Estimated sea route from Shanghai to Yokohama.

The estimated sea route between Shanghai and Yokohama is 1,088 nautical miles (2,016 km) long: ≈ 2.5–3 days at sea (at 18 and 14 knots).

It does not cross any major canal or strait.

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$176.5 billion · 58.6%
  2. Air$124.5 billion · 41.4%

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

How much each matters to the other

Japan was China’s 3rd largest trading partner (5% of its trade), and China was Japan’s largest (20%).

Japan in China’s trade
5.2%
Japan’s rank among China’s partners
3rd
China in Japan’s trade
20.4%
China’s rank among Japan’s partners
1st

Compare with

Other partners of China

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.