Japan exports to U.S. down 10.2% in April-September amid higher tariffs
Japan's exports to the United States fell 10.2 percent from a year earlier to 9.71 trillion yen ($64 billion) in the first half of fiscal 2025 through September, amid higher tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump, government data showed Wednesday, Kyodo reports.
For the period, Japan's trade surplus with the United States shrank 22.6 percent to 3.32 trillion yen, weighed down by a 22.7 percent plunge in car exports, while imports fell 2.0 percent to 6.39 trillion yen, the Finance Ministry said in a preliminary report.
After Trump implemented aggressive trade policies in April, Tokyo and Washington reached a deal in July to set a so-called reciprocal tariff at 15 percent and reduce the levy on vehicles from 27.5 percent to 15 percent. The new rates took effect in mid-September.
Globally, Japan's trade deficit in the first six months of the fiscal year narrowed 61.2 percent to 1.22 trillion yen, as exports edged up 0.2 percent to 53.65 trillion yen while imports fell 3.2 percent to 54.88 trillion yen.
In September, Japan logged a trade deficit of 234.6 billion yen, as exports rose 4.2 percent to 9.41 trillion yen while imports increased 3.3 percent to 9.65 trillion yen.
As written before, Japanese exports to U.S. down 14% in Aug., falling for 5th month on tariffs.