Japan reports trade deficit in August as petroleum imports surge
Japan posted a trade deficit of 1.11 trillion yen ($7.13 billion) in August, as soaring petroleum imports drove total imports sharply higher, provisional government data showed Wednesday.
- Asia
- Anadolu Agency
- Published Date: 12:00 PM 16 September 2026
Japan recorded a trade deficit of 1.11 trillion Japanese yen ($7.13 billion) in August, according to provisional data released by the Ministry of Finance on Wednesday.
The country imported petroleum worth 1.19 trillion Japanese yen ($7.7 billion) during the month, which marked a massive 58.7% year-on-year increase.
Total imports for August jumped by 28% annually to hit 11.15 trillion Japanese yen ($71.9 billion).
Meanwhile, the nation exported goods worth 10.05 trillion Japanese yen ($64.8 billion), representing a 19.3% rise compared to the same month of the previous year.
Japan experienced a 275.9% expansion in its trade deficit compared to August 2025.
The nation imported goods mainly from Asia, with imports from the region surging by 29% to 5.42 trillion Japanese yen ($35 billion).
China supplied goods worth 2.36 trillion Japanese yen ($15.2 billion) to Japan, making it the top source of imports with a 22.5% annual increase.
The US remained a key trade partner, receiving Japanese exports worth 1.72 trillion Japanese yen ($11.1 billion).
Japan observed a 24.9% increase in its exports to the US in August.