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Japan’s Top 10 Imports

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Japan’s imports totaled US$897.7 billion worth of products in 2022. That dollar amount reflects a 19.8% increase from $749.1 billion for 2018.

Year over year, the overall value of goods imported into Japan grew by 16% compared to $773.7 billion during 2021.

Based on the average exchange rate for 2022, the Japanese yen depreciated by -19.1% against the US dollar since 2018 and fell by -19.8% from 2021 to 2022. Japan’s weaker local currency made Japanese imports paid for in stronger US dollars relatively more expensive when converted starting from the weaker Japanese yen.

From a continental perspective, 58.4% of Japan’s total imports by value in 2022 were purchased from fellow Asian countries. Trade partners in Europe supplied 13.3% of import purchases by Japan while another 12.7% worth originated from North America.

Smaller percentages arrived from Oceania (10.7%) led by Australia, Latin America (3.3%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, and Africa (1.7%).

Given Japan’s population of 125.2 million people, its total $897.7 billion worth of 2022 imports translates to $7,200 in yearly product demand from every person in the densely populated Asian island country. That per-capita dollar amount exceeds the average $6,100 one year earlier in 2021.

Japan’s Top 10 Imports

The following product groups represent the highest dollar value in Japan’s import purchases during 2022. Also shown is the percentage share each product category represents in terms of overall imports into Japan.7

  1. Mineral fuels including oil: US$253.3 billion (28.2% of total imports)
  2. Electrical machinery, equipment: $120 billion (13.4%)
  3. Machinery including computers: $71.8 billion (8%)
  4. Pharmaceuticals: $39.2 billion (4.4%)
  5. Ores, slag, ash: $31.7 billion (3.5%)
  6. Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $27.9 billion (3.1%)
  7. Vehicles: $22.1 billion (2.5%)
  8. Gems, precious metals: $20.4 billion (2.3%)
  9. Organic chemicals: $18.3 billion (2%)
  10. Plastics, plastic articles: $18.2 billion (2%)

Japan’s top 10 imports accounted for over two-thirds (69.4%) of the overall value of its product purchases from other countries.

Mineral fuels including oil posted the fastest-growing increase in value among the top 10 import categories, up 63.3% from 2021 to 2022.

In second place were imported organic chemicals (up 8.3%) ahead of electrical machinery and equipment (up 5.7%).

The severest drop among the top product categories was under the gems and precious metals group via a -15.4% decline from 2021. Japanese imports of gems and precious metals were weighed down by Japan’s lower spending on platinum, silver and gold.

Note that the results listed above are at the categorized two-digit Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) code level. For a more detailed view of imported goods at the four-digit HTS code level, see the section Searchable List of Japan’s Most Valuable Import Products further down near the bottom of this article or under the adjacent product folder tabs.

Japan’s Major Fossil Fuel Imports

In 2022, Japanese importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of fossil fuel.

  1. Crude oil: US$100.4 billion (up 59% from 2021)
  2. Petroleum gases: $72.1 billion (up 57.9%)
  3. Coal, solid fuels made from coal: $58.5 billion (up 128.9%)
  4. Processed petroleum oils: $20 billion (up 8.6%)
  5. Petroleum oil residues: $1.3 billion (up 42.7%)
  6. Coke, semi-coke: $644 million (down -40.9%)
  7. Coal tar oils (high temperature distillation): $122.2 million (down -16.3%)
  8. Petroleum jelly, mineral waxes: $57.3 million (down -18.8%)
  9. Tar pitch, coke: $46.6 million (up 84.7%)
  10. Peat: $41.6 million (up 6.8%)

Among these import subcategories, Japan’s purchases of coal including solid fuels made from coal (up 128.9%), tar pitch and coke (up 84.7%), then crude oil (up 59%) grew at the fastest pace from 2021 to 2022.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported mineral fuels-related goods among Japanese businesses and consumers.

Japan’s Major Electronics Imports

In 2022, Japanese importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of electronics products.

  1. Integrated circuits/microassemblies: US$31.6 billion (up 24.2% from 2021)
  2. Phone devices including smartphones: $27 billion (down -5.8%)
  3. Insulated wire/cable: $8.5 billion (up 0.5%)
  4. Solar power diodes/semi-conductors: $5.3 billion (up 7.1%)
  5. Electrical converters/power units: $4.3 billion (up 12.3%)
  6. TV receivers/monitors/projectors: $3.7 billion (down -17.5%)
  7. Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $3.5 billion (up 4.6%)
  8. Electric storage batteries: $3 billion (up 27.3%)
  9. TV receiver/transmit/digital cameras: $2.6 billion (up 5.4%)
  10. Electrical machinery: $2.5 billion (down -10.4%)

Among these import subcategories, Japan’s purchases of electric storage batteries (up 27.3%), electronic integrated circuits or microassemblies (up 24.2%), then electrical converters and power units (up 12.3%) grew at the fastest pace from 2021 to 2022.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported electronics among Japanese businesses and consumers.

Japan’s Major Machinery Imports

In 2022, Japanese importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of machinery including computers.

  1. Computers, optical readers: US$17.7 billion (down -5.9% from 2021)
  2. Turbo-jets: $5.9 billion (up 21.6%)
  3. Machinery for making semi-conductors: $5.5 billion (up 18%)
  4. Printing machinery: $3.9 billion (up 5.7%)
  5. Air or vacuum pumps: $2.9 billion (down -1.1%)
  6. Machinery parts: $2.84 billion (up 13.4%)
  7. Air conditioners: $2.76 billion (down -5.9%)
  8. Taps, valves, similar appliances: $2.6 billion (up 6%)
  9. Computer parts, accessories: $2.5 billion (down -6%)
  10. Miscellaneous machinery: $2.1 billion (down -12.4%)

Among these import subcategories, Japan’s purchases of turbo-jets (up 21.6%), machinery for making semi-conductors (up 18%), then machinery parts (up 13.4%) grew at the fastest pace from 2021 to 2022.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported machinery among Japanese businesses and consumers.

Japan’s Major Pharmaceuticals Imports

In 2022, Japanese importers spent the most on the following subcategories of pharmaceuticals.

  1. Blood fractions (including antisera): US$19.9 billion (up 11.4% from 2021)
  2. Medication mixes in dosage: $17.8 billion (down -2.4%)
  3. Sutures, special pharmaceutical goods: $712.2 million (up 6.3%)
  4. Medication mixes not in dosage: $397.9 million (up 5.5%)
  5. Packaged dressings: $233 million (up 2.4%)
  6. Dried organs, heparin: $110.6 million (up 8.2%)

Among these import subcategories, Japan’s purchases of blood fractions including antisera (up 11.4%), dried organs and heparin (up 8.2%) then sutures and other special pharmaceutical goods (up 6.3%) grew at the fastest pace from 2021 to 2022.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported technical equipment among Japanese businesses and consumers.
 



 

See also Japan’s Top 10 Exports, Japan’s Top Trading Partners, Top Japanese Trade Balances and Japan’s Top 10 Major Export Companies

Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook: Country Profiles. Accessed on March 22, 2023

Imported Consumer Products, Japan’s Top 100 Imported Consumer Products. Accessed on March 22, 2023

International Monetary Fund, Exchange Rates selected indicators (National Currency per U.S. dollar, period average). Accessed on March 22, 2023

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on March 22, 2023