globaltraffic.earth

Trade between France and Japan

In 2024, France exported $10.7 billion to Japan and imported $9.1 billion. France ran a surplus of $1.6 billion with Japan, compared with a deficit of $547 million in 2019. Japan was France’s 13th largest trading partner (1% of its trade), and France was Japan’s 20th (1%).

Summary

France → Japan
$10.7billion
Japan → France
$9.1billion
France’s balance
$1.6billion

Balance

France’s trade balance with Japan

Trade between France and Japan grew 27% since 1995

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

  • Exports 10.7
  • Imports 9.1
  • Balance +1.6

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
YearExportsImportsTrade balance
1995$6.3 billion$9.4 billion-$3.1 billion
1996$5.9 billion$8.6 billion-$2.7 billion
1997$5.4 billion$8.7 billion-$3.3 billion
1998$5.3 billion$9.3 billion-$3.9 billion
1999$5.5 billion$9.9 billion-$4.4 billion
2000$5.9 billion$10.9 billion-$5 billion
2001$5.6 billion$9.6 billion-$4 billion
2002$5.9 billion$9.5 billion-$3.6 billion
2003$6.4 billion$11 billion-$4.6 billion
2004$7.7 billion$12.7 billion-$5 billion
2005$7.8 billion$12.3 billion-$4.5 billion
2006$8.3 billion$12.6 billion-$4.3 billion
2007$9.1 billion$13.7 billion-$4.5 billion
2008$9.7 billion$13.7 billion-$4 billion
2009$8 billion$10.5 billion-$2.5 billion
2010$9.3 billion$11.3 billion-$2 billion
2011$10.9 billion$12.6 billion-$1.7 billion
2012$11.6 billion$11 billion$556 million
2013$11 billion$10 billion$1 billion
2014$10.8 billion$9.8 billion$1.1 billion
2015$8.8 billion$8.8 billion-$51 million
2016$9.1 billion$10.3 billion-$1.2 billion
2017$9.5 billion$10.8 billion-$1.2 billion
2018$9.6 billion$11.9 billion-$2.3 billion
2019$10.5 billion$11 billion-$547 million
2020$8.1 billion$5.6 billion$2.5 billion
2021$10.4 billion$6.6 billion$3.8 billion
2022$9.2 billion$5.8 billion$3.4 billion
2023$9.5 billion$10.1 billion-$595 million
2024$10.7 billion$9.1 billion$1.6 billion

What they sell each other

What France sells to Japan

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

  1. Airplanes and helicopters$1.5 billion · 14.3%
    1 thousand tonnes · France’s destinations
  2. Bags, suitcases and cases$1.1 billion · 10.1%
    820 tonnes
  3. Jewelry$955 million · 8.9%
    16 tonnes · France’s destinations
  4. Wine$895 million · 8.3%
    52 thousand tonnes · France’s destinations
  5. Medicines in measured doses or retail packs$566 million · 5.3%
    2 thousand tonnes · France’s destinations
  6. Makeup and skin care$431 million · 4%
    6 thousand tonnes · France’s destinations
  7. Bulk medicines$283 million · 2.6%
    2 tonnes
  8. Turbojets and gas turbines$219 million · 2%
    356 tonnes · France’s destinations
  9. Perfumes$178 million · 1.7%
    2 thousand tonnes · France’s destinations
  10. Paintings and drawings$146 million · 1.4%
    13 tonnes

What Japan sells to France

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

  1. Cars$839 million · 9.2%
    52 thousand tonnes · Japan’s destinations
  2. Motorcycles$450 million · 4.9%
    11 thousand tonnes · Japan’s destinations
  3. Printers and printing machines$429 million · 4.7%
    4 thousand tonnes
  4. Medicines in measured doses or retail packs$294 million · 3.2%
    961 tonnes · Japan’s destinations
  5. Auto parts$262 million · 2.9%
    23 thousand tonnes · Japan’s destinations
  6. Batteries$259 million · 2.9%
    6 thousand tonnes · Japan’s destinations
  7. Medical and dental instruments$230 million · 2.5%
    2 thousand tonnes · Japan’s destinations
  8. Other industrial machines$222 million · 2.4%
    2 thousand tonnes
  9. Transformers and power supplies$194 million · 2.1%
    3 thousand tonnes
  10. Silicon wafers for electronics$194 million · 2.1%
    561 tonnes

How it travels

Estimated sea route from Le Havre to Yokohama.

The estimated sea route between Le Havre and Yokohama is 14,753 nautical miles (27,323 km) long: ≈ 34–44 days at sea (at 18 and 14 knots).

Because of the 2024 disruptions, traffic is split: 85% via the Cape of Good Hope and the Strait of Malacca and Singapore (14,753 nautical miles); and 15% via the Strait of Gibraltar, the Suez Canal, the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and the Strait of Malacca and Singapore (11,303 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$7.7 billion · 38.8%
  2. Air$12.1 billion · 61.2%

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

How much each matters to the other

Japan was France’s 13th largest trading partner (1% of its trade), and France was Japan’s 20th (1%).

Japan in France’s trade
1.4%
Japan’s rank among France’s partners
13th
France in Japan’s trade
1.3%
France’s rank among Japan’s partners
20th

Compare with

Other partners of France

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.