Value of imported goods as a share of GDP in Japan
Japan: Value of imported goods as a share of GDP was 17.7% in 2014. ▲ Rising
Latest (2014)
17.7%
Change on year
up 4.2%
World rank
179th
of 193 countries
All-time high
21.5%
in 1931
All-time low
1.9%
in 1868
Years of data
147
1868–2014
Value of imported goods as a share of GDP in Japan, 1868–2014
Source: Fouquin and Hugot (2016) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2014, value of imported goods as a share of gdp in Japan stood at 17.7%.
That represents a change of up 4.2% on the previous year and up 80.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, value of imported goods as a share of gdp in Japan peaked at 21.5% in 1931 and was at its lowest, 1.9%, in 1868.
Japan ranks 179th of 193 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 147 years of available data.
Value of imported goods as a share of GDP in Japan, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1868 | 1.9% | — |
| 1869 | 3.6% | +93.3% |
| 1870 | 5.8% | +61.4% |
| 1871 | 3.7% | -35.8% |
| 1872 | 4.4% | +18.1% |
| 1873 | 4.6% | +6.0% |
| 1874 | 3.8% | -17.5% |
| 1875 | 4.5% | +18.6% |
| 1876 | 3.7% | -18.1% |
| 1877 | 4.1% | +10.9% |
| 1878 | 5.0% | +20.2% |
| 1879 | 4.7% | -5.4% |
| 1880 | 5.0% | +6.8% |
| 1881 | 4.4% | -12.1% |
| 1882 | 4.1% | -8.0% |
| 1883 | 3.9% | -3.5% |
| 1884 | 4.1% | +3.5% |
| 1885 | 3.9% | -4.6% |
| 1886 | 4.3% | +10.4% |
| 1887 | 5.7% | +34.7% |
| 1888 | 8.0% | +39.6% |
| 1889 | 7.3% | -8.4% |
| 1890 | 8.2% | +12.2% |
| 1891 | 5.9% | -28.8% |
| 1892 | 6.7% | +14.1% |
| 1893 | 7.8% | +16.5% |
| 1894 | 9.3% | +18.9% |
| 1895 | 8.8% | -4.9% |
| 1896 | 11.0% | +24.2% |
| 1897 | 12.0% | +9.4% |
| 1898 | 13.6% | +13.8% |
| 1899 | 10.3% | -24.7% |
| 1900 | 12.8% | +25.0% |
| 1901 | 11.2% | -12.5% |
| 1902 | 11.7% | +3.9% |
| 1903 | 12.9% | +10.3% |
| 1904 | 13.0% | +1.3% |
| 1905 | 16.8% | +29.0% |
| 1906 | 14.0% | -16.5% |
| 1907 | 14.0% | -0.2% |
| 1908 | 12.3% | -12.3% |
| 1909 | 12.1% | -1.6% |
| 1910 | 14.1% | +16.2% |
| 1911 | 13.8% | -1.7% |
| 1912 | 15.2% | +10.1% |
| 1913 | 16.8% | +10.7% |
| 1914 | 15.0% | -10.7% |
| 1915 | 13.5% | -10.0% |
| 1916 | 15.2% | +12.2% |
| 1917 | 14.8% | -2.2% |
| 1918 | 17.0% | +14.9% |
| 1919 | 17.2% | +0.7% |
| 1920 | 17.9% | +4.2% |
| 1921 | 13.8% | -22.7% |
| 1922 | 15.1% | +9.2% |
| 1923 | 17.0% | +12.7% |
| 1924 | 20.2% | +19.0% |
| 1925 | 20.3% | +0.1% |
| 1926 | 12.7% | -37.1% |
| 1927 | 17.7% | +38.6% |
| 1928 | 17.6% | -0.1% |
| 1929 | 18.0% | +2.1% |
| 1930 | 14.5% | -19.7% |
| 1931 | 21.5% | +48.2% |
| 1932 | 14.8% | -30.8% |
| 1933 | 17.2% | +15.8% |
| 1934 | 19.0% | +10.2% |
| 1935 | 19.6% | +3.2% |
| 1936 | 20.5% | +4.6% |
| 1937 | 20.3% | -0.6% |
| 1938 | 14.2% | -30.4% |
| 1939 | 12.6% | -11.1% |
| 1940 | 11.8% | -6.2% |
| 1941 | 9.1% | -22.9% |
| 1942 | 5.4% | -41.0% |
| 1943 | 4.6% | -14.4% |
| 1944 | 2.8% | -39.0% |
| 1945 | 3.2% | +13.6% |
| 1946 | 12.9% | +304.5% |
| 1947 | 8.0% | -37.7% |
| 1948 | 5.0% | -37.4% |
| 1949 | 8.5% | +69.8% |
| 1950 | 7.8% | -8.6% |
| 1951 | 11.8% | +51.2% |
| 1952 | 10.5% | -11.4% |
| 1953 | 11.1% | +6.0% |
| 1954 | 9.9% | -10.3% |
| 1955 | 9.1% | -8.9% |
| 1956 | 11.3% | +25.0% |
| 1957 | 13.1% | +16.0% |
| 1958 | 8.9% | -32.0% |
| 1959 | 9.3% | +4.3% |
| 1960 | 9.4% | +0.8% |
| 1961 | 10.2% | +9.0% |
| 1962 | 8.7% | -14.7% |
| 1963 | 9.2% | +4.9% |
| 1964 | 9.2% | +0.6% |
| 1965 | 8.5% | -7.3% |
| 1966 | 8.9% | +4.3% |
| 1967 | 9.3% | +4.8% |
| 1968 | 8.8% | -5.9% |
| 1969 | 8.7% | -1.4% |
| 1970 | 9.0% | +3.6% |
| 1971 | 8.3% | -7.5% |
| 1972 | 7.6% | -8.3% |
| 1973 | 9.0% | +18.6% |
| 1974 | 13.2% | +45.7% |
| 1975 | 11.3% | -14.2% |
| 1976 | 11.3% | -0.2% |
| 1977 | 10.1% | -10.7% |
| 1978 | 8.0% | -20.3% |
| 1979 | 10.6% | +32.1% |
| 1980 | 13.0% | +22.8% |
| 1981 | 11.9% | -8.5% |
| 1982 | 11.8% | -0.9% |
| 1983 | 10.4% | -11.8% |
| 1984 | 10.5% | +1.2% |
| 1985 | 9.4% | -10.4% |
| 1986 | 6.2% | -34.0% |
| 1987 | 6.1% | -2.4% |
| 1988 | 6.2% | +2.4% |
| 1989 | 6.9% | +11.8% |
| 1990 | 7.6% | +9.1% |
| 1991 | 6.7% | -11.8% |
| 1992 | 6.0% | -9.7% |
| 1993 | 5.5% | -9.4% |
| 1994 | 5.7% | +3.3% |
| 1995 | 6.3% | +11.4% |
| 1996 | 7.4% | +17.9% |
| 1997 | 7.8% | +5.4% |
| 1998 | 7.2% | -8.4% |
| 1999 | 7.0% | -2.3% |
| 2000 | 8.0% | +14.4% |
| 2001 | 8.4% | +4.6% |
| 2002 | 8.5% | +0.9% |
| 2003 | 8.9% | +5.1% |
| 2004 | 9.8% | +9.8% |
| 2005 | 11.3% | +15.4% |
| 2006 | 13.3% | +17.9% |
| 2007 | 14.3% | +7.5% |
| 2008 | 15.7% | +10.2% |
| 2009 | 11.0% | -30.3% |
| 2010 | 12.6% | +15.1% |
| 2011 | 14.5% | +14.6% |
| 2012 | 14.9% | +2.8% |
| 2013 | 17.0% | +14.0% |
| 2014 | 17.7% | +4.2% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 17.7% is below the median for high income countries, which is 38.0%, 46% of the median. (67 countries reporting)
- Japan's 17.7% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 50.8%, 35% of the median. (32 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Value of imported goods as a share of GDP in Japan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1946 | +304.5% | 3.2% | 12.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1860s | 2.7% | 1.9% | 3.6% | 2 |
| 1870s | 4.4% | 3.7% | 5.8% | 10 |
| 1880s | 5.1% | 3.9% | 8.0% | 10 |
| 1890s | 9.4% | 5.9% | 13.6% | 10 |
| 1900s | 13.1% | 11.2% | 16.8% | 10 |
| 1910s | 15.3% | 13.5% | 17.2% | 10 |
| 1920s | 17.0% | 12.7% | 20.3% | 10 |
| 1930s | 17.4% | 12.6% | 21.5% | 10 |
| 1940s | 7.1% | 2.8% | 12.9% | 10 |
| 1950s | 10.3% | 7.8% | 13.1% | 10 |
| 1960s | 9.1% | 8.5% | 10.2% | 10 |
| 1970s | 9.8% | 7.6% | 13.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 9.2% | 6.1% | 13.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.7% | 5.5% | 7.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.9% | 8.0% | 15.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 15.3% | 12.6% | 17.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Japan
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)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 217.76 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0491 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 1,765 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 45.81 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 142.69 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0103 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 371.3 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 11.44 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is value of imported goods as a share of gdp in Japan?
- Value of imported goods as a share of gdp in Japan was 17.7% in 2014, according to Fouquin and Hugot (2016) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest value of imported goods as a share of gdp recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 21.5% in 1931.
- What is the lowest value of imported goods as a share of gdp recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.9% in 1868.
- How does Japan rank for value of imported goods as a share of gdp?
- Japan ranks 179th out of 193 countries with data for 2014.
- Is value of imported goods as a share of gdp rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 80.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from Fouquin and Hugot (2016) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Value of imported goods as a share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 147 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Estimates correspond to merchandise import-to-GDP ratios for countries and regions. All ratios are taken at current prices. See source for more details.