The following 10 leading products generated a surplus subtotal of $174.9 billion for Japan in its global trade during 2016. Metrics listed below highlight Japan’s strongest competitive advantages over worldwide trading partners.

1. Cars: US$81.6 billion (Up 41.5% since 2009)
2. Automobile parts/accessories: $24.1 billion (Up 16.4%)
3. Machinery for making semi-conductors: $15 billion (Up 110.6%)
4. Cruise/cargo ships, barges: $11.5 billion (Down -46.6%)
5. Trucks: $8.6 billion (Up 34.8%)
6. Heavy machinery (e.g. bulldozers, excavators): $7.8 billion (Up 58.8%)
7. Gold (unwrought): $7.2 billion (Up 89.1%)
8. Integrated circuits/microassemblies: $7.1 billion (Down -36%)
9. Miscellaneous machinery: $6.3 billion (Up 66.7%)
10. Printing machinery: $5.7 billion (Down -38.1%)

Among the above products, the greatest surpluses increases since 2009 belong to: machinery for making semi-conductors (up 110.6%), gold (up 89.1%), miscellaneous machinery (up 66.7%) and heavy machinery (up 58.8%).

Leading the decliners were: cruise/cargo ships and barges (down -46.6%), printing machinery (down -38.1%) and integrated circuits and microassemblies (-36%).

The 10 major products below accumulated a deficit subtotal of -$170.6 billion for Japan in international trade during 2016. Japan has demonstrated the severest competitive disadvantages in the exports and imports of the following commodities.

1. Crude oil: -US$50.8 billion (Down -36.4% since 2009)
2. Petroleum gases: -$34 billion (Down -6.9%)
3. Phone system devices including smartphones: -$19.4 billion (Up 345.4%)
4. Coal, solid fuels made from coal: -$15.2 billion (Down -31.1%)
5. Medication mixes in dosage: -$14.3 billion (Up 103.9%)
6. Computers, optical readers: -$11.5 billion (Up 30.1%)
7. Copper ores, concentrates: -$7.4 billion (Down -9.8%)
8. Iron ores, concentrates: -$7.35 billion (Down -15.4%)
9. Blood fractions (including antisera): -$5.5 billion (Up 138.6%)
10. Cases, handbags, wallets: -$5.1 billion (Up 18.3%)

Three top products accelerated Japan’s red ink in 2016 since 2009 at the fastest pace: phone system devices including smartphones (up 345.4%), blood fractions including antisera (up 138.6%) and medication mixes in dosage (up 103.9%).

Leading product trade deficit reductions since 2009 were crude oil (down -36.4%) and coal-related fuels (down -31.1%).

In 2016, Japan generated a surplus subtotal worth $177 billion with the following 10 trading partners.

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1. United States: US$61.1 billion (Up 76.1% since 2009)
2. Hong Kong: $31.7 billion (Up 2.9%)
3. South Korea: $21.2 billion (Down -16.1%)
4. Taiwan: $16.4 billion (Down -9.4%)
5. Singapore: $12.3 billion (Down -15.6%)
6. Netherlands: $9.5 billion (Down -5.9%)
7. Thailand: $7.3 billion (Up 18%)
8. United Kingdom: $7.2 billion (Up 17.9%)
9. Panama: $5.3 billion (Down -58.2%)
10. Mexico: $4.9 billion (Up 22.8%)

Among the above countries, Japan grew its trade surplus at the fastest pace with: United States (up 76.1%), Mexico (up 22.8%) and Thailand (up 18%).

Panama led the decliners with a -58.2% reduction in its country-specific surplus with Japan over the 7-year period.

Japan lost money in its international trade with 75 countries. Topping the list, the following 10 trade partners created a -$120.3 billion deficit subtotal in 2016 from exchanging exports and imports with Japan.

1. China: -US$42.7 billion (Up 232.4% since 2009)
2. Australia: -$16.2 billion (Down -28.1%)
3. Saudi Arabia: -$14.6 billion (Down -38.7%)
4. Qatar: -$9.3 billion (Down -34.6%)
5. United Arab Emirates: -$9.3 billion (Down -42.4%)
6. Indonesia: -$6.9 billion (Down -45.3%)
7. Russia: -$6.2 billion (Up 10.5%)
8. Ireland: -$5.5 billion (Up 39.6%)
9. Malaysia: -$5.2 billion (Up 34.4%)
10. Switzerland: -$4.5 billion (from a $9.3 million surplus in 2009)

These top country-specific deficits increased with the following trade partners: China (up 232.4%), Ireland (up 39.6%), Malaysia (up 34.4%) and Russia (up 10.5%).