Trade growth expected to continue in Japan in Q3 2018

Air export of land vehicles and parts to drive country's air trade growthMachinery and Capital Equipment exports are contributing to the country's ongoing positivity for businesses

TOKYO, JAPAN - Media OutReach - 04 July 2018 -Air exports of land vehicles and parts continue to be the main contributor to sustained trade growth in Japan, according to data from the DHL Global Trade Barometer released by DHL, the world's leading logistics company.

The DHL Global Trade Barometer, an early indicator of global trade developments calculated using Artificial Intelligence and Big Data, shows that Japan's trade growth is expected to increase at a moderate rate with 67 points in Q3, signaling ongoing positivity for businesses in the country.  Air trade is expected to remain high at 80 points, with exports of machinery parts appearing well-positioned for rapid growth, complementing the country's sustained strength in automotive and capital equipment exports. On air imports, High Technology and Land Vehicles & Parts are expected to contribute most to growth expectations.

While growth in ocean import is expected to slow down in the next three months, an improved outlook for ocean exports is expected to mitigate this, bringing overall ocean trade in Japan to 58 points.

"Japan's economic maturity, coupled with world-class strengths in areas like automotive manufacturing, puts it in a strategic position to meet the evolving needs of increasingly affluent Asian consumers -- including sub-regions with some of the fastest-growing automotive markets in the world,[1]" said Charles Kaufmann, President/Representative Director -- Japan K.K, CEO, North Asia, Head of Value Added Services -- Asia Pacific, DHL Global Forwarding.

"At the same time, growing overseas demand is also likely to result in greater exports of other value-added products like machinery and parts -- areas where its industries enjoy a defensible niche thanks to their reputation for precision, quality, and innovation. In a climate typified by uncertainty in trade terms, Japan's moderate but consistent economic growth shows little sign of wavering."

The DHL Global Trade Barometer's results also suggest that Asia Pacific is expected to uplift global trade growth in the coming quarter, with optimistic outlook for India, South Korea and China. Strong growth in ocean freight across the region, coupled with steady or rising air freight traffic in the region's leading economies, is testament to the Asian economy's growth especially in the areas of technology.

Developed jointly by DHL and Accenture, the DHL Global Trade Barometer provides a quarterly outlook on future trade, taking into consideration the import and export data of seven large economies: China, South Korea, Germany, India, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Together, these countries account for 75 percent of world trade, making their aggregated data an effective bellwether for near-term predictions on global trade. The DHL Global Trade Barometer, which assesses commodities that serve as the basis for further industrial production, predicts that global trade will continue to grow in the next three months, despite slight losses in momentum.

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