That dollar amount results from a 4.3% year-over-year gain compared to $708 billion in 2024.
Over a 5-year timespan, the overall value of Japanese exported goods retreated by -2.5% from $757.5 billion starting from 2021.
Based on the average exchange rate at December 2025, the Japanese yen fell by -27.1% against the US dollar from December 2020 and fell by -1.4% from 2024 to 2025. Japan’s weaker local currency made exports paid for in stronger US dollars relatively less expensive in 2025 for countries startling from the stronger US dollar.
Japan’s 5 biggest export products by value in 2025 were cars, electronic integrated circuits and microassemblies, semiconductor-making machinery, unwrought gold and automotive parts or accessories. In aggregate, that quintet of major exports generated 29.8% of overall export sales from Japan. That group of commodities suggests a relatively diversified range of exported goods.
Japan ranks among world-leading nations for exporting cars and automotive parts or accessories and is a major competitor among Asian nations in the international trade of electronic circuits.
Japan’s Best International Trade Customers
The latest available country-specific data shows that 73.1% of products exported from Japan were bought by importers in: United States of America (18.6% of the Japanese total), mainland China (17%), Taiwan (7.2%), South Korea (6.3%), Hong Kong (5.8%), Thailand (3.8%), Singapore (2.9%), India (2.59%), Vietnam (2.55%), Germany (2.47%), Australia (2%) and Malaysia (1.9%).
From a continental perspective, 59.2% of Japan exports by value was delivered to Asian countries while 21.7% was sold to North American importers. Japan shipped another 12.5% worth of goods to buyers located in Europe.
Smaller percentages went to customers in Latin America excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean (2.7%), Oceania (2.6%) led by Australia and New Zealand then Africa (1.4%).
Given Japan’s population of 123.3 million people, its total US$738.3 billion worth of exported products in 2025 translates to roughly $6,000 for every resident in the East Asian island nation. That per-capita dollar amount exceeds the average per-capita amount of $5,700 one year earlier in 2024.
Japan’s Top 10 Exports
The following export product groups categorize the highest dollar value in Japanese global shipments during 2025. Also shown is the percentage share each export category represents in terms of overall exports from Japan.
- Vehicles: US$149.1 billion (20.2% of total exports)
- Machinery including computers: $130.6 billion (17.7%)
- Electrical machinery, equipment: $106.2 billion (14.4%)
- Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $36.6 billion (5%)
- Gems, precious metals: $30.5 billion (4.1%)
- Plastics, plastic articles: $25.4 billion (3.4%)
- Iron, steel: $25 billion (3.4%)
- Copper: $14.8 billion (2%)
- Other chemical goods: $13.9 billion (1.9%)
- Organic chemicals: $13 billion (1.8%)
Japan’s top 10 export product categories generated 73.8% of the overall value of its global shipments.
Gems and precious metals represent the fastest grower among the top 10 export categories, up by 32.8% year over year since 2024.
In second place for improving export sales was copper: which was up by 11%.
Japan’s shipments of electrical machinery and equipment posted the third-fastest gain in value, up by 5.1%.
The leading decliner among Japan’s top 10 export categories was organic chemicals which fell -9.2% from 2024.
Note that the results listed above are at the categorized two-digit Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) code level. For a more granular view of exported goods at the four-digit HTS code level, see the section Searchable List of Japan’s Most Valuable Export Products further down near the bottom of this article.
Searchable List of Japan’s Most Valuable Export Products
At the more granular four-digit HTS code level, the following searchable table displays 100 of the most in-demand goods shipped from Japan during 2025.
Shown beside each product label is its total export value then the percentage increase or decrease since 2024.
| Rank | Japan's Export Product | Value (US$) | 2024-5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cars | $105,307,362,000 | -1.4% |
| 2 | Integrated circuits/microassemblies | $35,104,249,000 | +8.1% |
| 3 | Machinery for making semi-conductors | $30,407,330,000 | +2.3% |
| 4 | Gold (unwrought) | $25,284,579,000 | +41.6% |
| 5 | Automobile parts/accessories | $24,266,063,000 | -6.2% |
| 6 | Heavy machinery (bulldozers, excavators, road rollers) | $11,470,355,000 | +1.6% |
| 7 | Cruise/cargo ships, barges | $10,516,904,000 | +10.4% |
| 8 | Trucks | $9,199,114,000 | +4.5% |
| 9 | Solar power diodes/semi-conductors | $8,630,866,000 | +15.5% |
| 10 | Printing machinery | $8,043,350,000 | -0.6% |
| 11 | Processed petroleum oils | $7,639,929,000 | -3.1% |
| 12 | Hot-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products | $7,581,602,000 | -14.6% |
| 13 | Miscellaneous machinery | $7,120,485,000 | +9.6% |
| 14 | Electrical capacitators | $6,818,108,000 | +6.2% |
| 15 | Refined copper, unwrought alloys | $6,665,234,000 | -2% |
| 16 | Lower-voltage switches, fuses | $6,319,424,000 | +5.6% |
| 17 | Plastic plates, sheets, film, tape, strips | $5,961,913,000 | +5.1% |
| 18 | Electro-medical equip (e.g. xrays) | $5,860,589,000 | +1.1% |
| 19 | Piston engine parts | $5,701,838,000 | +0.9% |
| 20 | Other measuring/testing machines | $5,589,083,000 | -4.2% |
| 21 | Electric storage batteries | $5,396,077,000 | +7.2% |
| 22 | Turbo-jets | $5,394,868,000 | +16.1% |
| 23 | Rubber tires (new) | $5,293,395,000 | +2.3% |
| 24 | Air or vacuum pumps | $5,007,565,000 | -3.9% |
| 25 | Chemical industry products/residuals | $4,902,054,000 | +7.4% |
| 26 | Medication mixes in dosage | $4,808,632,000 | +9.4% |
| 27 | Regulate/control instruments | $4,794,512,000 | +0.7% |
| 28 | Chemicals used in electronics | $4,723,876,000 | +5.5% |
| 29 | Flat-rolled other alloy steel products | $4,579,942,000 | -8.5% |
| 30 | Physical/chemical analysis tools | $4,541,526,000 | +5.7% |
| 31 | Electrical converters/power units | $4,525,107,000 | -0.4% |
| 32 | Taps, valves, similar appliances | $4,311,707,000 | +6.7% |
| 33 | Transmission shafts, gears, clutches | $4,272,868,000 | +4.6% |
| 34 | Piston engines | $4,148,401,000 | +4.8% |
| 35 | Oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers | $3,943,840,000 | +13.1% |
| 36 | Motorcycles | $3,743,807,000 | +13.2% |
| 37 | Photographic chemicals | $3,625,810,000 | +9.2% |
| 38 | Liquid pumps and elevators | $3,473,812,000 | +6.3% |
| 39 | Electric motors, generators | $3,422,828,000 | -2.8% |
| 40 | Ball, roller bearings | $3,410,937,000 | +3.4% |
| 41 | Copper waste, scrap | $3,372,387,000 | +38.5% |
| 42 | Engines (diesel) | $3,321,989,000 | +5.7% |
| 43 | Table games, bowling equipment | $3,318,678,000 | +58.3% |
| 44 | Electrical machinery | $3,154,517,000 | -2.6% |
| 45 | Beauty/makeup/skin care preparations | $3,074,804,000 | +10% |
| 46 | Cyclic hydrocarbons | $3,030,557,000 | -12.8% |
| 47 | Electric ignition/start equipment | $2,981,148,000 | -0.7% |
| 48 | Optical fiber cables, sheets, plates | $2,878,416,000 | -5.3% |
| 49 | TV receiver/transmit/digital cameras | $2,852,069,000 | +11.3% |
| 50 | Self-adhesive plastic in rolls | $2,815,869,000 | +6.7% |
| 51 | Printed circuits | $2,787,535,000 | +9.5% |
| 52 | Electrical/optical circuit boards, panels | $2,767,224,000 | +7.2% |
| 53 | Public-transport vehicles | $2,676,688,000 | +18.2% |
| 54 | Centrifuges, filters and purifiers | $2,673,694,000 | +4.8% |
| 55 | Iron or steel scrap | $2,661,255,000 | +1.1% |
| 56 | Iron or steel tubes, pipes | $2,653,825,000 | -4.4% |
| 57 | Blood fractions (including antisera) | $2,585,521,000 | +4.2% |
| 58 | Metal-working machinery | $2,569,372,000 | +21.1% |
| 59 | Polyacetal/ether/carbonates | $2,531,002,000 | +1.1% |
| 60 | Aircraft, spacecraft parts | $2,389,602,000 | +18.8% |
| 61 | Iron and steel screws, bolts, nuts, washers | $2,302,966,000 | -0.2% |
| 62 | Electric circuit parts, fuses, switches | $2,291,312,000 | +8.1% |
| 63 | Flat-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products (plated/coated) | $2,187,837,000 | -6% |
| 64 | Synthetic rubber | $2,124,190,000 | +0.3% |
| 65 | Machinery parts | $2,116,569,000 | +5.7% |
| 66 | Copper foil | $2,099,657,000 | +21.3% |
| 67 | Miscellaneous plastic items | $2,096,881,000 | +6.3% |
| 68 | Precious metal compounds | $2,072,563,000 | +14.2% |
| 69 | Lenses, prisms, mirrors | $2,062,861,000 | -0.7% |
| 70 | Insulated wire/cable | $1,900,946,000 | +4.5% |
| 71 | Oxometal/peroxometal acid salts | $1,889,708,000 | -20.9% |
| 72 | Rubber/plastic article making machines | $1,881,855,000 | -12.8% |
| 73 | X-ray equipment | $1,859,266,000 | +2% |
| 74 | Phone system devices | $1,835,917,000 | -12.4% |
| 75 | Plastic plates, sheets, film, tape, strips | $1,811,426,000 | +9.8% |
| 76 | Electric motor parts | $1,807,490,000 | +8.1% |
| 77 | Platinum (unwrought) | $1,790,619,000 | +41.9% |
| 78 | Paint/varnish non-aqueous solution | $1,748,837,000 | +12.7% |
| 79 | Interchangeable hand/machine tools | $1,730,199,000 | +9% |
| 80 | Temperature-change machines | $1,709,372,000 | +3.3% |
| 81 | Motorcycle parts/accessories | $1,586,188,000 | +11% |
| 82 | Tractors | $1,492,591,000 | -3.5% |
| 83 | Copper plates, sheets, strips | $1,473,604,000 | +13.8% |
| 84 | Initiators/accelerators, catalytic preps | $1,426,398,000 | +9.1% |
| 85 | Metal-removing lathes | $1,328,584,000 | -0.2% |
| 86 | Silver (unwrought) | $1,321,271,000 | -11.8% |
| 87 | Photographic plates/film, unexposed | $1,316,323,000 | +14.6% |
| 88 | Liquid/gas checking instruments | $1,315,421,000 | -1.4% |
| 89 | Vulcanized rubber items | $1,303,830,000 | +2.2% |
| 90 | Vinyl chloride polymers | $1,269,274,000 | -4.4% |
| 91 | Computers, optical readers | $1,250,697,000 | -1% |
| 92 | Ceramic wares for technical uses | $1,223,348,000 | +9.1% |
| 93 | Acrylic polymers | $1,222,123,000 | -2.6% |
| 94 | Other machine parts, accessories | $1,191,847,000 | +3.8% |
| 95 | Flat panel displays | $1,167,426,000 | -30.6% |
| 96 | Unrecorded sound media | $1,164,476,000 | +10% |
| 97 | Lubricant preparations | $1,163,800,000 | -3.7% |
| 98 | TV/radio/radar device parts | $1,162,100,000 | -8.3% |
| 99 | Iron or non-alloy steel products (semi-finished) | $1,154,190,000 | -18.8% |
| 100 | Derricks, cranes | $1,152,846,000 | -2.4% |
These 100 exported goods were worth a subtotal of US$536.9 billion or 72.7% by value for all products exported from Japan during 2025.
Products Generating Best Trade Surpluses for Japan
The following types of Japanese product shipments represent positive net exports or a trade balance surplus for 2025. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports.
In a nutshell, net exports represent the amount by which foreign spending on a home country’s goods or services exceeds or lags the home country’s spending on foreign goods or services.
- Vehicles: US$124.4 billion (Down by -2.9% since 2024)
- Machinery including computers: $47.6 billion (Down by -10%)
- Iron, steel: $17.9 billion (Down by -8.2%)
- Gems, precious metals: $14.4 billion (Up by 84.5%)
- Copper: $10.3 billion (Up by 3%)
- Ships, boats: $9.9 billion (Up by 5.6%)
- Plastics, plastic articles: $9 billion (Up by 3.9%)
- Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $7.5 billion (Down by -15.6%)
- Other chemical goods: $6.8 billion (Up by 5.9%)
- Photo/cinematographic goods: $5.4 billion (Up by 9.8%)
Japan has notably positive net exports in the international trade of automobiles thanks to world-leading automotive manufacturers including Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors. In turn, these cashflows indicate Japan’s strong competitive advantages under the vehicles product category.
Products Causing Worst Trade Deficits for Japan
Japan incurred an overall -US$17.2 billion trade deficit for 2025, reducing by -51.1% compared to -$35.3 billion in red ink in 2024.
Below are exports from Japan that result in negative net exports or product trade balance deficits. These negative net exports reveal product categories where foreign spending on home country Japan’s goods trail Japanese importer spending on foreign products.
- Mineral fuels including oil: -US$138.8 billion (Down by -12.6% since 2024)
- Ores, slag, ash: -$25.5 billion (Down by -7.8%)
- Pharmaceuticals: -$24.1 billion (Up by 7.2%)
- Knit or crochet clothing, accessories: -$12.5 billion (Up by 8.4%)
- Clothing, accessories (not knit or crochet): -$11 billion (Up by 4%)
- Meat: -$9.7 billion (Down by -2.7%)
- Wood: -$9.5 billion (Up by 2.9%)
- Fish: -$8.1 billion (Up by 2%)
- Electrical machinery, equipment: -$7.8 billion (Up by 53.6%)
- Furniture, bedding, lighting, signs, prefab buildings: -$7 billion (Up by 1.4%)
Japan has highly negative net exports and therefore deep international trade deficits for energy products, historically crude oil, petroleum gases and coal.
These cashflow deficiencies clearly indicate Japan’s competitive disadvantages in the international fossil fuel market, but also represent key opportunities for Japan to improve its position in the global economy through focused innovations for energy-related products.
Japanese Export Companies
Wikipedia lists many of the larger international trade players from Japan.
- Toyota Motor (cars, trucks)
- Japan Tobacco (tobacco)
- Denso (automotive parts)
- Canon (business products, supplies)
- Takeda Pharmaceutical (pharmaceuticals)
- Hitachi (electronics)
- Fanuc (industrial products)
- Panasonic (electronics)
- Astellas Pharma (pharmaceuticals)
- Nippon Steel (iron, steel)
- Mitsubishi Electric (electrical equipment)
According to global trade intelligence firm Zepol, the following companies are also examples of leading Japanese exporters.
- Honda Motor (vehicles, automotive parts)
- Nissan Motor (vehicles, automotive parts)
- Kubota (tractors, excavators, other heavy equipment)
In macroeconomic terms, Japan’s total exported goods represent 11% of its overall Gross Domestic Product for 2025 ($6.741 trillion valued in Purchasing Power Parity US dollars). That 11% for exports to overall GDP per PPP in 2025 is greater than the 10.8% for 2024. Those percentages suggest Japan’s relatively increasing reliance on products sold on international markets for Japan’s total economic performance.
Another key indicator of a country’s economic performance is its unemployment rate. Japan’s unemployment rate averaged 2.567% for 2025, same as the average 2.567% jobless rate for 2024 according to International Monetary Fund statistics.
See also Japan’s Top 10 Imports, Japan’s Top Trading Partners, Top Japanese Trade Balances and Japan’s Top 10 Major Export Companies
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World FactbookCountry Profiles. Accessed on February 13, 2026
International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on February 13, 2026
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on February 13, 2026
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on February 13, 2026
Richest Country Reports, Key Statistics Powering Global Wealth. Accessed on February 13, 2026
Wikipedia, List of Companies of Japan. Accessed on February 13, 2026
Wikipedia, Gross domestic product. Accessed on February 13, 2026
Wikipedia, Purchasing power parity. Accessed on February 13, 2026
X-rates.com, Exchange Rates: Japanese Yen to US Dollar (monthly average 2025). Accessed on February 13, 2026
Zepol’s company summary highlights by country. Accessed on February 13, 2026