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Trade between Germany and Japan

In 2024, Germany exported $21 billion to Japan and imported $21.8 billion. Germany ran a deficit of $734 million with Japan, compared with a deficit of $581 million in 2019. Japan was Germany’s 17th largest trading partner (2% of its trade), and Germany was Japan’s 8th (3%).

Summary

Germany → Japan
$21billion
Japan → Germany
$21.8billion
Germany’s balance
-$734million

Balance

Germany’s trade balance with Japan

Trade between Germany and Japan grew 15% since 1995

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

  • Exports 21
  • Imports 21.8
  • Balance -0.7

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
YearExportsImportsTrade balance
1995$13.3 billion$23.9 billion-$10.6 billion
1996$14 billion$22.1 billion-$8.1 billion
1997$12.2 billion$20.6 billion-$8.4 billion
1998$10.6 billion$22.3 billion-$11.7 billion
1999$11.4 billion$21.7 billion-$10.4 billion
2000$12.5 billion$23 billion-$10.5 billion
2001$12.1 billion$19.3 billion-$7.2 billion
2002$12.2 billion$17.4 billion-$5.2 billion
2003$13.9 billion$19.9 billion-$6 billion
2004$16.4 billion$23.7 billion-$7.3 billion
2005$17.1 billion$24.9 billion-$7.9 billion
2006$17.6 billion$28 billion-$10.4 billion
2007$18.4 billion$30.9 billion-$12.4 billion
2008$19.8 billion$33.4 billion-$13.6 billion
2009$15.6 billion$25.5 billion-$9.9 billion
2010$18.1 billion$28.6 billion-$10.5 billion
2011$22.4 billion$32 billion-$9.6 billion
2012$23 billion$27.3 billion-$4.3 billion
2013$22.8 billion$25 billion-$2.2 billion
2014$23.4 billion$24.3 billion-$896 million
2015$19.4 billion$21.1 billion-$1.7 billion
2016$21.3 billion$22.8 billion-$1.5 billion
2017$22.7 billion$24.7 billion-$2 billion
2018$25 billion$26.5 billion-$1.4 billion
2019$24.1 billion$24.7 billion-$581 million
2020$20.3 billion$22 billion-$1.6 billion
2021$22.4 billion$25.8 billion-$3.4 billion
2022$21.8 billion$25.7 billion-$3.9 billion
2023$21.8 billion$26 billion-$4.2 billion
2024$21 billion$21.8 billion-$734 million

What they sell each other

What Germany sells to Japan

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

  1. Cars$3.8 billion · 18.2%
    211 thousand tonnes · Germany’s destinations
  2. Medicines in measured doses or retail packs$2.5 billion · 12%
    2 thousand tonnes · Germany’s destinations
  3. Vaccines, blood and antisera$1.7 billion · 8.2%
    340 tonnes · Germany’s destinations
  4. Microchips$519 million · 2.5%
    1 thousand tonnes · Germany’s destinations
  5. Medical and dental instruments$477 million · 2.3%
    2 thousand tonnes · Germany’s destinations
  6. Auto parts$440 million · 2.1%
    19 thousand tonnes · Germany’s destinations
  7. Other industrial machines$428 million · 2%
    5 thousand tonnes
  8. Other measuring instruments$289 million · 1.4%
    1 thousand tonnes
  9. Platinum$257 million · 1.2%
    3 tonnes · Germany’s destinations
  10. Computers$255 million · 1.2%
    864 tonnes · Germany’s destinations

What Japan sells to Germany

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

  1. Cars$2.4 billion · 11.2%
    129 thousand tonnes · Japan’s destinations
  2. Printers and printing machines$1.2 billion · 5.7%
    12 thousand tonnes
  3. Physical and chemical analysis instruments$826 million · 3.8%
    5 thousand tonnes
  4. Microchips$765 million · 3.5%
    537 tonnes · Japan’s destinations
  5. Capacitors$682 million · 3.1%
    4 thousand tonnes
  6. Medical and dental instruments$671 million · 3.1%
    3 thousand tonnes · Japan’s destinations
  7. Other industrial machines$656 million · 3%
    6 thousand tonnes
  8. Nucleic acids and other heterocycles$648 million · 3%
    483 tonnes
  9. Diodes, transistors and solar cells$468 million · 2.2%
    1 thousand tonnes
  10. Video game consoles and games$463 million · 2.1%
    1 thousand tonnes

How it travels

Estimated sea route from Hamburg to Yokohama.

The estimated sea route between Hamburg and Yokohama is 15,247 nautical miles (28,237 km) long: ≈ 35.5–45.5 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 (15,247 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 (11,726 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$16.4 billion · 38.2%
  2. Air$26.4 billion · 61.8%

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

How much each matters to the other

Japan was Germany’s 17th largest trading partner (2% of its trade), and Germany was Japan’s 8th (3%).

Japan in Germany’s trade
1.5%
Japan’s rank among Germany’s partners
17th
Germany in Japan’s trade
2.9%
Germany’s rank among Japan’s partners
8th

Compare with

Other partners of Germany

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.