News
Exports of containerized shipments from Japan are expected to grow from a year earlier in fiscal 2013 (April 2013-March 2014), according to Nittsu Research Institute and Consulting, Inc. (NRIC).
Container exports from Japan’s nine major ports (Tokyo, Yokohama, Shimizu, Nagoya, Yokkaichi, Osaka, Kobe, Kitakyushu and Hakata) showed a sign of recovery in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012 (January-March 2013)
As such, the Tokyo-based think tank anticipates that they will grow 2.8% to 5.219 million TEUs, making the first year-on-year improvement in three years.
Meanwhile, imports will increase 2.5% to 7.541 million TEUs thanks to steadiness in electronic parts/components and other machinery/equipment as well as last-minute demand growth in anticipation of a hike in the consumption tax rate.
Exports and imports will total 12.76 million TEUs, going up 2.6%.
NRIC, which recently revised its business and cargo movement forecasts for fiscal 2013, foresees that exports of airfreight from Japan, which has shown no sign of recovery yet, will decrease 1.3% to 889,000 tons this fiscal year, suffering a year-on-year decline for three years in a row.
By route, they will pick up in the second quarter (July-September) on the trans-Pacific route, recover at a low rate on the intra-Asia route and plunge in the first quarter (April-June) on the Europe route.
In contrast, imports will climb 2.2% to 1.171 million tons, with contributing factors including machinery/equipment, which will continue to grow, and consumer durables, demand for which will increase in anticipation of a consumer tax rate hike.
The combined volume of exports and imports will rise 0.7% to 20.61 million tons.
