The overall value of imports into the United States sold by Japan flatlined by an average -1.9% since 2022 when America’s purchases from were valued at $154.4 billion.
In comparison, the US exported $76.2 billion worth of products to Japan in 2023. That dollar amount equals 50.2% of America’s total spending on all commodities imported from Japan.
US exports to Japan retreated by -5.2% compared to $80.3 billion in American export sales to Japan for 2022.
Highlighted below are the 100 most valuable imports and exports exchanged by the United States and Japan during 2023.
This research is based on the detailed four-digit Harmonized Tariff System code level.
Information in this article is presented in two searchable document databases for the top 100 trade products between the two countries.
Top US Imports from Japan
The following document database highlights the 100 most valuable goods that America imported from Japan in 2023.
| Products | US$ | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cars | $40,876,680,000 | +21.9% |
| 2 | Automobile parts/accessories | $6,846,046,000 | -13.6% |
| 3 | Heavy machinery (bulldozers, excavators) | $6,450,529,000 | +11.2% |
| 4 | Machinery for making semi-conductors | $3,648,564,000 | -21.2% |
| 5 | Blood fractions (including antisera) | $3,418,089,000 | -7.5% |
| 6 | Electric storage batteries | $3,142,040,000 | +6% |
| 7 | Medication mixes in dosage | $3,037,417,000 | -3.6% |
| 8 | Printing machinery | $3,001,189,000 | -16.3% |
| 9 | Chemical industry products/residuals | $2,457,067,000 | +18.4% |
| 10 | Turbo-jets | $2,094,644,000 | +2.9% |
| 11 | Electro-medical equip (e.g. xrays) | $1,960,236,000 | -9.8% |
| 12 | Rubber tires (new) | $1,877,014,000 | -7.2% |
| 13 | Piston engines | $1,862,594,000 | -21.8% |
| 14 | Aircraft or spacecraft parts | $1,618,764,000 | +39.6% |
| 15 | Piston engine parts | $1,443,936,000 | -8.6% |
| 16 | Taps, valves, similar appliances | $1,437,807,000 | -4.1% |
| 17 | Electrical converters/power units | $1,364,797,000 | +17.2% |
| 18 | Transmission shafts, gears, clutches | $1,330,224,000 | -9.6% |
| 19 | Liquid pumps and elevators | $1,325,290,000 | -3.5% |
| 20 | Electrical machinery | $1,266,485,000 | +8.6% |
| 21 | Air or vacuum pumps | $1,202,532,000 | -0.7% |
| 22 | Engines (diesel) | $1,187,825,000 | -17.6% |
| 23 | Unrecorded sound media | $1,107,323,000 | -12.8% |
| 24 | Electric ignition/start equipment | $1,078,293,000 | -11.4% |
| 25 | Solar power diodes/semi-conductors | $1,074,068,000 | -7.7% |
| 26 | Electric motors, generators | $1,070,154,000 | -1.6% |
| 27 | Integrated circuits/microassemblies | $1,039,398,000 | +1.1% |
| 28 | Physical/chemical analysis tools | $1,016,957,000 | -0.8% |
| 29 | Trucks | $998,541,000 | +17% |
| 30 | TV receiver/transmit/digital cameras | $968,884,000 | -13.3% |
| 31 | Tractors | $869,077,000 | -44.2% |
| 32 | Lifting/loading machinery | $806,079,000 | -30.1% |
| 33 | Machinery parts | $803,163,000 | -7.6% |
| 34 | Miscellaneous machinery | $793,674,000 | -9.4% |
| 35 | Motorcycles | $792,802,000 | -8.4% |
| 36 | Lower-voltage switches, fuses | $771,318,000 | -12.7% |
| 37 | Electrical capacitators | $758,826,000 | -17.8% |
| 38 | Electrical/optical circuit boards, panels | $748,467,000 | -20.6% |
| 39 | Other measuring/testing machines | $737,325,000 | -5.2% |
| 40 | Iron or steel tubes, pipes | $721,153,000 | +46.8% |
| 41 | Ball, roller bearings | $712,636,000 | -17.4% |
| 42 | Electric motor parts | $711,226,000 | +42.8% |
| 43 | Phone devices including smartphones | $684,779,000 | -30% |
| 44 | Metal-working machinery | $678,999,000 | -4.2% |
| 45 | Centrifuges, filters and purifiers | $658,199,000 | -23.8% |
| 46 | Air conditioners | $611,114,000 | +13.6% |
| 47 | Lenses, prisms, mirrors | $608,045,000 | -13.1% |
| 48 | Miscellaneous engines, motors | $604,933,000 | -12.2% |
| 49 | Processed petroleum oils | $596,643,000 | -46.3% |
| 50 | Chemicals used in electronics | $591,866,000 | -32.1% |
| 51 | Iron and steel screws, bolts, nuts, washers | $589,356,000 | -4.6% |
| 52 | Metal-removing lathes | $573,171,000 | +3.9% |
| 53 | Derricks, cranes | $512,126,000 | +68.3% |
| 54 | Wrist/pocket watches (no precious metal case) | $499,093,000 | -23.5% |
| 55 | Temperature-change machines | $473,638,000 | -35.4% |
| 56 | Oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers | $443,393,000 | -15.4% |
| 57 | Interchangeable hand/machine tools | $434,733,000 | -9.1% |
| 58 | Computers, optical readers | $417,018,000 | -9.3% |
| 59 | Other machine parts, accessories | $410,590,000 | -5.8% |
| 60 | Miscellaneous plastic items | $401,967,000 | -15.5% |
| 61 | Vulcanized rubber items | $392,902,000 | -10.5% |
| 62 | Titanium | $392,235,000 | +33.3% |
| 63 | Electrical lighting/signaling equpment, defrosters | $388,310,000 | -13.4% |
| 64 | Insulated wire/cable | $387,367,000 | -5.4% |
| 65 | Photographic chemicals | $378,316,000 | -24.8% |
| 66 | Base metal mountings, fittings | $374,982,000 | +4.7% |
| 67 | Photographic plates/film, unexposed | $356,666,000 | -9.5% |
| 68 | Fork-lift trucks | $353,702,000 | +767% |
| 69 | Table games, bowling equipment | $353,007,000 | +21.5% |
| 70 | Liquid/gas checking instruments | $344,951,000 | -4.2% |
| 71 | X-ray equipment | $326,440,000 | -14.5% |
| 72 | Technical-use ceramic wares | $320,519,000 | -4.4% |
| 73 | Flat panel displays | $307,807,000 | +0.02% |
| 74 | Metal soldering/hot-spray equipment | $289,025,000 | -24.8% |
| 75 | Other diagnostic/lab reagents | $287,519,000 | -1.3% |
| 76 | Rubber/plastic article making machines | $274,942,000 | -31.5% |
| 77 | Hand-drawn paintings, drawings | $259,246,000 | +61.7% |
| 78 | Liquid crystal/laser/optical tools | $252,183,000 | -4.9% |
| 79 | Flat-rolled iron/non-alloy steel goods (plated/coated) | $247,781,000 | -25.7% |
| 80 | TV receivers/monitors/projectors | $242,673,000 | +7% |
| 81 | Vinyl chloride polymers | $242,638,000 | -11.8% |
| 82 | Regulate/control instruments | $238,646,000 | -22.4% |
| 83 | Optical fiber cables, sheets, plates | $236,309,000 | -8.8% |
| 84 | Coiled other alloy steel bars, rods | $229,976,000 | +19.9% |
| 85 | Material removal machine-tools | $227,884,000 | +19.4% |
| 86 | Cyclic hydrocarbons | $225,308,000 | -6.6% |
| 87 | Electric circuit parts, fuses, switches | $219,463,000 | -8% |
| 88 | Acrylic polymers | $217,189,000 | -17.8% |
| 89 | Pens including ball-point or felt tip | $215,934,000 | -27% |
| 90 | Plastic plates, sheets, film, tape, strips | $209,597,000 | -27.8% |
| 91 | Fish fillets, pieces | $198,537,000 | -11.4% |
| 92 | Printed circuits | $193,877,000 | -28% |
| 93 | Coated/laminated non-wovens | $185,240,000 | +1.8% |
| 94 | Plastic plates, sheets, film, tape, strips | $184,646,000 | +10.3% |
| 95 | Synthetic rubber | $184,469,000 | -38% |
| 96 | Miscellaneous iron or steel items | $184,467,000 | -7.5% |
| 97 | Dishwashing, clean/dry/fill machines | $183,812,000 | -22.5% |
| 98 | Machine-tool for metal | $182,362,000 | +19.4% |
| 99 | Beauty/makeup/skin care preparations | $182,350,000 | -23.6% |
| 100 | Cermet plates, sticks, tips | $182,060,000 | +1.9% |
The showcased 100 import products represent US$130.9 billion in American spending in 2023 or 86.3% of all US spending on imports from Japan for the year.
Imports into the United States from Japan equaled 4.8% of overall US imports from around the world in 2023, up from 4.6% in 2022.
Fastest-growing US imports from Japan from 2022 to 2023 were fork-lift trucks (up 767%), derricks and cranes (up 68.3%), hand-drawn paintings and drawings (up 61.7%), iron or steel tubes and pipes (up 46.3%), electric motor parts (up 42.8%), aircraft or spacecraft parts (up 36.3%), titanium (up 33.3%) then America’s number one import from Japan cars (up 21.9%).
Decliners impacting America’s spending on imported goods from Japan the most were led by Japanese processed petroleum oils (down -46.3% from 2022), tractors (down -44.2%), synthetic rubber (down -38%), temperature-change machines (down -35.4%), chemicals used in electronics (down -32.1%), rubber or plastic item making machines (down -31.5%), lifting or loading machinery (down -30.1%) then phone devices including smartphones (down -30%).
Top US Exports to Japan
The following document database focuses on the 100 leading products that American exporters sold to buyers in Japan in 2023.
| Products | US$ | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Petroleum gases | $8,222,257,000 | -14.9% |
| 2 | Medication mixes in dosage | $3,276,859,000 | -20.4% |
| 3 | Electro-medical equipment (e.g. xrays) | $2,804,884,000 | +6.7% |
| 4 | Blood fractions (including antisera) | $2,701,829,000 | +26.8% |
| 5 | Corn | $2,097,182,000 | -30.4% |
| 6 | Ethers | $1,718,778,000 | -11.5% |
| 7 | Machinery for making semi-conductors | $1,658,768,000 | -22.8% |
| 8 | Coal, solid fuels made from coal | $1,519,235,000 | +8.7% |
| 9 | Soya beans | $1,361,120,000 | -24.8% |
| 10 | Crude oil | $1,337,854,000 | +46.1% |
| 11 | Swine meat | $1,250,163,000 | +2.8% |
| 12 | Cars | $1,209,881,000 | +56.3% |
| 13 | Orthopedic appliances | $977,715,000 | +6% |
| 14 | Fresh or chilled beef | $908,433,000 | -18% |
| 15 | Jewelry | $785,719,000 | +10.7% |
| 16 | Aircraft or spacecraft parts | $776,598,000 | +14.4% |
| 17 | Other diagnostic/lab reagents | $706,979,000 | -32.8% |
| 18 | Wheat | $693,428,000 | -24.1% |
| 19 | Computers, optical readers | $692,220,000 | +2.7% |
| 20 | Phone devices including smartphones | $691,212,000 | -7.1% |
| 21 | Platinum (unwrought) | $647,937,000 | -43.9% |
| 22 | Physical/chemical analysis tools | $603,900,000 | -8.9% |
| 23 | Chemical industry products/residuals | $545,594,000 | +102.8% |
| 24 | Other measuring/testing machines | $541,962,000 | -4.3% |
| 25 | Aircraft, spacecraft | $530,426,000 | +97.8% |
| 26 | Precious metal waste, scrap | $515,129,000 | -52.6% |
| 27 | Hydrogen, rare gases | $502,464,000 | -10.8% |
| 28 | Bombs, grenades, ammunition | $496,558,000 | +155.4% |
| 29 | Integrated circuits/microassemblies | $496,030,000 | -38.5% |
| 30 | Petroleum oil residues | $489,727,000 | -35.1% |
| 31 | Centrifuges, filters and purifiers | $469,300,000 | +1.3% |
| 32 | Processed petroleum oils | $463,758,000 | -25.5% |
| 33 | Turbo-jets | $461,724,000 | +23.8% |
| 34 | Red meat offal | $455,514,000 | -15.8% |
| 35 | Frozen beef | $450,797,000 | -33.6% |
| 36 | Hay, alfalfa, clover | $443,515,000 | -23.4% |
| 37 | Whole fish (frozen) | $423,573,000 | -15.5% |
| 38 | Optical fiber cables, sheets, plates | $421,172,000 | -14.3% |
| 39 | X-ray equipment | $419,225,000 | +9.3% |
| 40 | Rice | $413,908,000 | +41.1% |
| 41 | Fuel wood, wood chips, sawdust | $401,363,000 | +59.9% |
| 42 | Other prepared/preserved vegetables (frozen) | $390,682,000 | +25.1% |
| 43 | Taps, valves, similar appliances | $386,710,000 | +13.1% |
| 44 | Liquid crystal/laser/optical tools | $370,815,000 | +16.7% |
| 45 | Automobile parts/accessories | $362,324,000 | -17.1% |
| 46 | Oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers | $354,753,000 | +0.7% |
| 47 | Miscellaneous machinery | $344,116,000 | +4.7% |
| 48 | Miscellaneous nuts | $323,687,000 | -17.2% |
| 49 | Glass mirrors | $310,128,000 | +26.5% |
| 50 | Solar power diodes/semi-conductors | $300,466,000 | -11.7% |
| 51 | Chemical woodpulp (non-dissolving) | $299,653,000 | -42.4% |
| 52 | Rough wood | $283,547,000 | -39% |
| 53 | Sutures, special pharmaceutical goods | $273,742,000 | -3.2% |
| 54 | Acyclic hydrocarbons | $268,447,000 | +117.9% |
| 55 | Hydrazine, inorganic salts | $255,839,000 | +21.3% |
| 56 | Lower-voltage switches, fuses | $252,047,000 | -11.3% |
| 57 | Industrial or lab furnaces, ovens | $249,000,000 | +142.2% |
| 58 | Chemicals used in electronics | $248,383,000 | +19.7% |
| 59 | Heterocyclics, nucleic acids | $236,629,000 | +73.6% |
| 60 | Electrical machinery | $236,232,000 | -5.9% |
| 61 | Hand-drawn paintings, drawings | $229,567,000 | +45.9% |
| 62 | Miscellaneous animal feed preparations | $227,232,000 | +14.5% |
| 63 | Miscellaneous plastic items | $226,963,000 | -7.7% |
| 64 | Radar, radio communication items | $217,872,000 | +46.1% |
| 65 | Cheese, curd | $202,682,000 | -12.6% |
| 66 | Piston engine parts | $200,584,000 | +3.3% |
| 67 | Beet-pulp, brew/distilling waste | $198,706,000 | -11% |
| 68 | Air or vacuum pumps | $192,321,000 | +17.1% |
| 69 | Electric storage batteries | $188,536,000 | +0.3% |
| 70 | Aluminum plates, sheets, strips | $186,427,000 | +164.3% |
| 71 | Liquid pumps and elevators | $186,126,000 | -8% |
| 72 | Transmission shafts, gears, clutches | $181,605,000 | +9.4% |
| 73 | Fish fillets, pieces | $178,851,000 | +17.7% |
| 74 | Electrical converters/power units | $173,059,000 | -3% |
| 75 | Miscellaneous engines, motors | $171,563,000 | +19.9% |
| 76 | Electrical/optical circuit boards, panels | $171,190,000 | -2.6% |
| 77 | Insulated wire/cable | $169,107,000 | +2.3% |
| 78 | Amine-function compounds | $164,615,000 | -8.9% |
| 79 | Copper waste, scrap | $158,865,000 | -28.9% |
| 80 | Mechano-therapy appliances | $158,016,000 | +96.4% |
| 81 | Molybdenum ores, concentrates | $157,340,000 | +27.2% |
| 82 | Beauty/makeup/skin care preparations | $153,498,000 | -4.9% |
| 83 | Liquid/gas checking instruments | $152,861,000 | -4.3% |
| 84 | Chemical woodpulp (dissolving) | $152,251,000 | +6.3% |
| 85 | Polyamides | $151,987,000 | -20.4% |
| 86 | Unrecorded sound media | $150,122,000 | -5.9% |
| 87 | Miscellaneous iron or steel items | $149,093,000 | +5.2% |
| 88 | TV/radio/radar device parts | $143,813,000 | -23.6% |
| 89 | Other food preparations | $143,591,000 | -35% |
| 90 | Polyacetal/ether/carbonates | $142,588,000 | -22.9% |
| 91 | Plastic packing goods, lids, caps | $141,934,000 | +8.3% |
| 92 | Computer parts, accessories | $140,306,000 | +14% |
| 93 | Cellulose fiber paper | $140,221,000 | -14.9% |
| 94 | Sports equipment | $138,339,000 | -23.7% |
| 95 | Microphones/headphones/amps | $137,068,000 | +12.8% |
| 96 | Plastic plates, sheets, film, tape, strips | $133,715,000 | +24.2% |
| 97 | Anti-knock/oxidation/gum inhibitors | $129,042,000 | -17.8% |
| 98 | Synthetic rubber | $129,027,000 | -27.4% |
| 99 | Miscellaneous meat (preserved/prepared) | $125,534,000 | -42.2% |
| 100 | Plastic plates, sheets, film, tape, strips | $122,841,000 | -25.5% |
The itemized 100 US export products represent US$58 billion in American sales to Japan in 2023 or 76.1% of total US exports into Japan as assessed by value.
Exports from the United States to Japan equaled 3.8% of all US products exported around the world in 2023. That percentage lags the 3.9% for 2022.
The greatest increases among the top 100 US exports into Japan from 2022 to 2023 are attributed to aluminum plates, sheets and strips (up 164.3%), bombs, grenades and other ammunition (up 155.4%), industrial or laboratory furnaces and ovens (up 142.2%), acyclic hydrocarbons (up 117.9%), chemical industry products or residuals (up 102.8%) then aircraft and spacecraft (up 97.8%).
The heaviest declines among America’s sales of exported goods to Japan were recorded for shrinking Japanese spending on precious metal waste or scrap (down -52.9% from 2022), unwrought platinum (down -43.9%), non-dissolving chemical woodpulp (down -42.4%), preserved or prepared miscellaneous meat (down -42.2%), rough wood (down -39%), electronic integrated circuits and microassemblies (down -38.5%), petroleum oil residues (down -35.1%), miscellaneous food preparations (down -35%) then frozen beef (down -33.6%).
See also Japan’s Top Exports, United States Top Exports, Japan’s Top Imports and United States Top Imports
Research Sources:
International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on December 30, 2024
Trade Map, International Trade Centre. Accessed on December 30, 2024