Japan: Trade Balance: Monthly Value

Macro

2026-09-16

Description

Japan Trade Balance: Current Month Value is released by the Ministry of Finance (MOF). This indicator measures the difference between the value of merchandise exports and imports during a given month. A positive trade balance signifies a trade surplus, meaning exports exceeded imports, which can be a sign of economic strength. Conversely, a negative trade balance represents a trade deficit, meaning imports surpassed exports, which can be a sign of economic weakness.

The trade balance is calculated by subtracting the total value of imports from the total value of exports for the month. These figures are collected from customs data and other relevant sources.

The data is updated monthly and is typically released around the 20th of the following month.

Published by
Ministry of Finance of Japan (Choice)
Frequency
Monthly
Next Update
Hashtags
Import/Export Japan

AI Data Insight

Japan recently announced that its trade balance for August 2026 reached -1.1056 trillion yen, marking the fourth consecutive month of deficit, with the gap exceeding the market expectation of -1.05 trillion yen and the previous value of -638.3 billion yen. Although AI-related semiconductor and automobile demand drove exports to outperform expectations, the weak yen and surging energy import costs caused by Middle East geopolitics still pushed the trade deficit to a new high since January of this year.

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AI Data Insight

Japan recently announced that its trade balance for August 2026 reached -1.1056 trillion yen, marking the fourth consecutive month of deficit, with the gap exceeding the market expectation of -1.05 trillion yen and the previous value of -638.3 billion yen. Although AI-related semiconductor and automobile demand drove exports to outperform expectations, the weak yen and surging energy import costs caused by Middle East geopolitics still pushed the trade deficit to a new high since January of this year.

Dive in →

You May Also Like

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Macro
Description

Japan Trade Balance: Current Month Value is released by the Ministry of Finance (MOF). This indicator measures the difference between the value of merchandise exports and imports during a given month. A positive trade balance signifies a trade surplus, meaning exports exceeded imports, which can be a sign of economic strength. Conversely, a negative trade balance represents a trade deficit, meaning imports surpassed exports, which can be a sign of economic weakness.

The trade balance is calculated by subtracting the total value of imports from the total value of exports for the month. These figures are collected from customs data and other relevant sources.

The data is updated monthly and is typically released around the 20th of the following month.

Published by
Ministry of Finance of Japan (Choice)
Frequency
Monthly
Next Update
Hashtags
Import/Export Japan