External balance on goods and services in Japan
Japan: External balance on goods and services was -0.9% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
External balance on goods and services in Japan, 1970–2024
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for external balance on goods and services in Japan is -0.9%, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 39.5% on the previous year and up 65.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external balance on goods and services in Japan peaked at 3.5% in 1986 and was at its lowest, -3.6%, in 2022.
That places Japan 86th out of 193 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
External balance on goods and services in Japan, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 1.1% | — |
| 1971 | 2.4% | +120.0% |
| 1972 | 2.1% | -15.4% |
| 1973 | -0.1% | -102.5% |
| 1974 | -0.8% | +1445.3% |
| 1975 | -0.1% | -92.7% |
| 1976 | 0.6% | -1199.9% |
| 1977 | 1.4% | +121.7% |
| 1978 | 1.5% | +7.7% |
| 1979 | -0.9% | -160.6% |
| 1980 | -0.9% | +0.9% |
| 1981 | 0.6% | -163.0% |
| 1982 | 0.5% | -10.6% |
| 1983 | 1.5% | +179.7% |
| 1984 | 2.3% | +59.6% |
| 1985 | 3.1% | +30.5% |
| 1986 | 3.5% | +15.2% |
| 1987 | 2.7% | -24.6% |
| 1988 | 1.9% | -29.0% |
| 1989 | 1.3% | -31.2% |
| 1990 | 0.7% | -42.4% |
| 1991 | 1.4% | +92.7% |
| 1992 | 2.0% | +37.0% |
| 1993 | 2.1% | +4.3% |
| 1994 | 1.8% | -11.2% |
| 1995 | 1.2% | -33.2% |
| 1996 | 0.4% | -69.7% |
| 1997 | 1.0% | +160.7% |
| 1998 | 1.7% | +78.5% |
| 1999 | 1.5% | -14.7% |
| 2000 | 1.3% | -8.4% |
| 2001 | 0.6% | -56.5% |
| 2002 | 1.2% | +112.7% |
| 2003 | 1.6% | +27.4% |
| 2004 | 1.9% | +19.1% |
| 2005 | 1.4% | -26.5% |
| 2006 | 1.3% | -7.5% |
| 2007 | 1.7% | +35.8% |
| 2008 | 0.3% | -80.7% |
| 2009 | 0.4% | +32.0% |
| 2010 | 1.3% | +198.6% |
| 2011 | -0.6% | -148.5% |
| 2012 | -1.6% | +153.2% |
| 2013 | -2.4% | +46.6% |
| 2014 | -2.5% | +6.9% |
| 2015 | -0.5% | -78.7% |
| 2016 | 0.8% | -245.1% |
| 2017 | 0.7% | -5.8% |
| 2018 | 0.0% | -97.5% |
| 2019 | -0.3% | -1610.8% |
| 2020 | -0.3% | -7.4% |
| 2021 | -0.5% | +91.5% |
| 2022 | -3.6% | +611.0% |
| 2023 | -1.5% | -58.6% |
| 2024 | -0.9% | -39.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.7% | -0.9% | 2.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.6% | -0.9% | 3.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.4% | 0.4% | 2.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.2% | 0.3% | 1.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | -0.5% | -2.5% | 1.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | -1.3% | -3.6% | -0.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Japan
- 83 Congo, Democratic Republic of the -0.5% compare
- 84 Mexico -0.6% compare
- 85 Canada -0.8% compare
- 87 Tanzania, United Republic of -1.0% compare
- 88 Bulgaria -1.0% compare
- 89 New Zealand -1.3% compare
More economy & growth data for Japan
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.03 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 0.4463 Percent per annum (2029)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current LCU) 1.94 % change on previous year (2024)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current LCU) 80.33 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current LCU) 2.71 million current LCU per person (2024)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (constant 2015) -0.5988 % change on previous year (2024)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (constant 2015) 0.5844 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (constant 2015) 19,751 constant 2015 US$ per person (2024)
- Final consumption expenditure (current US$), annual growth rate -5.06 % change on previous year (2024)
- Final consumption expenditure (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.7321 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external balance on goods and services in Japan?
- External balance on goods and services in Japan was -0.9% in 2024, according to Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks.
- What is the highest external balance on goods and services recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 3.5% in 1986.
- What is the lowest external balance on goods and services recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was -3.6% in 2022.
- How does Japan rank for external balance on goods and services?
- Japan ranks 86th out of 193 countries with data for 2024.
- Is external balance on goods and services rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 65.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks, published as part of External balance on goods and services (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The balance of international trade in goods and services is the difference between the exports and imports of goods and services. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period.