Japan records trade deficit for fifth consecutive year

Tokyo (ANTARA) - Japan recorded a trade deficit of 1.71 trillion yen (1 yen = Rp107) in fiscal year 2025, marking five consecutive years of deficits, as higher tariffs from the United States (US) imposed since April 2025 burdened automobile exports.

This is according to government data released on Wednesday (22/4).

Japan’s Ministry of Finance stated in a preliminary report that for the fiscal year from April 2025 to March 2026, exports rose 4% from the previous year to 113.24 trillion yen, supported by demand for semiconductors and other electronic devices.

Meanwhile, imports rose slightly by 0.5% to 114.96 trillion yen amid rising prices for platinum and other non-ferrous metals.

Shipments to the US fell 6.6%, marking the first decline in five years, with automobile exports dropping sharply by 15.9%.

For March alone, Japan recorded a trade surplus of 667 billion yen, up 25.9% from the previous year as exports rose 11.7% and imports increased 10.9%.

Crude oil imports rose for the third consecutive month based on volume, increasing 2.4%.