News
The value of shipments handled at the Port of Tokyo in the first half of 2014 reached an all-time high. Exports and imports combined amounted to ¥8.351 trillion worth of foreign-trade cargo in the six months from January to June, surging 16.8% from a year earlier, according to a preliminary report on trade statistics recently released by Tokyo Customs. In breakdown, exports soared 19.7% to a record of ¥2.957 trillion, while imports grew 15.3% to ¥5.394 trillion, enjoying a year-on-year improvement for the ninth consecutive term. As such, the port suffered an excess of imports by ¥2.437 trillion, which was the greatest gap in its history.
By region, exports to the U.S. were valued at ¥721.5 billion, jumping 17.7% year on year, while imports swelled 13.3% to ¥599.2 billion. Outbound shipments to Europe amounted to ¥470.3 billion, zooming 26.7%, and inbound shipments, ¥638.1 billion, climbing 8.5%. Tokyo exported ¥748.8 billion worth of cargo to China, going up 26.5%, and imported ¥2.274 trillion worth, up 16.1%. Exports to and imports from the U.S., Europe and China improved from the corresponding months of 2013 across the board. In particular, imports from the U.S. and Europe both reached record-highs on a six-month scale.
