News
Japan International Freight Forwarders Association Inc. (JIFFA) members handled a total of 63.508 million revenue tons (RTs) of international multimodal cargo to and from Japan in the first half of fiscal 2018 (April-September), which grew 10% from a year earlier and exceeded the 60-million-RT line for the first time. JIFFA compiled statistics from responses made by 477 affiliated freight forwarders, which do not include data on shipments moved between third countries or those co-loaded with other carriers. New six-month highs were achieved for both exports and imports, breaking the previous records set in the first half of fiscal 2017 and the second half of fiscal 2016, respectively.
Exports from Japan of international multimodal shipments marked a double-digit improvement of 10.6% to total 24.52 million RTs in April-September, remaining on an upward trend that began in fiscal 2017. The leading destination was China, to which 4.814 million RTs were transported, up 8%, dramatically coming back from the negative growth posted a year earlier. South Korea bumped up a notch to finish in second place, to which 3.25 million RTs were carried, up 74.8%. Exports to the U.S. ranked third, but in terms of volume, they fell 3.7% to 3.05 million RTs. Those to Europe swelled 5.5% to 2.128 million tons, returning to the two-million-RT range and finish in fourth place. The fifth largest partner was Thailand, to which 1.425 million RTs were moved, up 3%.
Imports to Japan, meanwhile, increased a notable 9.5% from a year earlier to 38.966 million RTs in total in the six months in question. By origin, those from China, which declined year on year in the first half of fiscal 2017, made a comeback to rise 9.3% to 18.476 million RTs. Vietnam continue to be the second largest partner from a year earlier, from which 3.207 million RTs were imported, soaring a steep 25.7% and exceeded the three-million-RT mark. Those from Europe remained in third, jumping 20.8% to 3.12 million RTs. Finishing in fourth, shipments from South Korea ballooned 54.8% to 2.766 million RTs. Imports from the top three and South Korea were all highly robust, but in contrast, those from the U.S. went down 5% to 2.237 million RTs, falling down a notch to come in fifth place.
