26.02.26Japan’s US Container Imports Shrink 1.9% in Dec. as T/S containers Plunge 22.9%

Japan’s container imports from the U.S. shrank 1.9% year on year to 52,700 TEUs in December 2025 (based on volumes at ports of destination), Descartes Datamyne announced yesterday. Direct shipments accounted for 35,886 TEUs, up 12.4%, while the remaining 16,814 TEUs were transshipped on the way, down 22.9%. South Korea was responsible for 8,746 TEUs of the transshipped containers, up 58.3%; Taiwan, 2,168 TEUs, up 9.4%; and China, 1,280 TEUs, down 26.8%.

In April-December, Japan imported 489,324 TEUs from the U.S., up 12.1%, Data for January-March has been missing and cannot be compared year on year. In breakdown, 345,522 TEUs were moved directly, up 11.6%, and 143,802 TEUs were transshipped, up 13.2%. Of the latter, 68,606 TEUs were transshipped in South Korea, up 12.%; 23,886 TEUs in Taiwan, up 10%; and 15,167 TEUs in China, up 3.1%.