Japan was the EU's 7th largest partner for imports in 2017 (4 % of total extra-EU imports) and the 6th largest for EU exports (3 % of total extra-EU exports).
The EU ran a trade deficit (meaning that it imported more than it exported) with Japan from 2008 to 2017, reaching a deficit of EUR 8 billion in 2017.
EU exports to Japan were dominated by "machinery and vehicles", "chemicals" and "other manufactured goods", which together accounted for 84 % of EU exports to Japan in 2017. These categories dominated imports even more, making up 95 % of EU imports from Japan. At a more detailed level, cars were both the EU’s most exported and most imported product with Japan.
Germany: main trader with Japan among the Member States
Among the Member States, Germany (EUR 16 billion) was the largest importer from Japan and also the main exporter (EUR 20 billion) in 2017. Further information is provided in the Statistics Explained article Japan-EU - international trade in goods statistics.
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