News
A total of 49.67 million revenue tons of international multimodal cargo were imported to and exported from Japan in the second half of fiscal 2013 (October 2013-March 2014), increasing 6.9% year on year, according to a report released recently by Japan International Freight Forwarders Association Inc. (JIFFA). A new record was set for the eights consecutive six-month terms, or since the first half of fiscal 2010 (April-October 2010).
The report, which had been compiled from statistical data on shipments handled by 427 member forwarders, indicated that imports to Japan grew 6.9% to exceed the 30-million-revenue-ton line, totaling 32.03 million revenue tons and reaching an all-time high for six straight terms. Meanwhile, exports from Japan took a favorable turn, improving 6.9% to a record-high 17.64 million revenue tons.
As a consequence, Japan imported 63.11 million revenue tons in total in fiscal 2013 (April 2013-March 2014), which swelled 5.4% from the previous year, and exported 34.566 million revenue tons, which rose 2.95%. The combined volume of imports and exports came very close to 100 million revenue tons, amounting to 97.68 million revenue tons, which improved 4.5%.
Looking by origin at international multimodal shipments imported to Japan from October 2013 to March 2014, the JIFFA report revealed that those from China were brisk despite the depreciation of the Japanese yen, hiking 9.5% from a year earlier to 17.055 million revenue tons. Those from Hong Kong managed to finish in second place, but in terms of volume, they went down 9.1% to 2.405 million revenue tons, suffering a year-on-year decrease for three terms in a row. Combined imports from China and Hong Kong climbed 6.8% to 19.46 million revenue tons, enjoying a share of 60.8% of the pie. Shipment from Europe came in third, which rose 1.4% to 1.95 million revenue tons. Vietnam went up to fourth place, from which 1.94 million revenue tons were imported, surging 35.8%. International multimodal cargo from South Korea ranked fifth, which fell 1% to 1.73 million revenue tons. South Korea was followed by Thailand and the U.S.
As for exports, meanwhile, those to China, the largest destination of international multimodal shipments from Japan, soared 11.2% year on year to 3.64 million revenue tons in the six-month term in question, rebounding from the sluggishness that they suffered a year earlier, according to the report. They accounted for more than 20% of the total. Exports to the U.S. came in second, swelling 2.6% to 2.57 million revenue tons, thanks to the nation’s economy returning to a recovery track. Those to Europe finished in third place, zooming 31.7% to 1.824 million revenue tons, as the European economy had bottomed out. On the other hand, exports to South Korea plunged 21.7% to 1.59 million revenue tons, placing the country in fourth place. Those to Thailand ranked fifth, but quantitatively, they went down 6.7% to 1.177 million revenue tons. The other members of the top 10 destinations were Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam, Indonesia and Central/South America.
In total, China was the leading trade partner to Japan in the second half of last fiscal year. Imports and exports of international multimodal cargo totaled 20.69 million revenue tons, growing 9.8% year on year and exceeding the 20-million-revenue-ton level for two back-to-back terms. China was followed by the U.S., to and from which a massive 4.134 million revenue tons were imported and exported, which expanded 3.9%. Those to and from Europe and Hong Kong finished in third and fourth places, respectively, both of which came back from a year earlier.
