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Partner on equal footing

This is a special year for Japan and Germany. On 24 January 1861, exactly 160 years ago, Prussia and Japan signed an agreement about friendship, trade and shipping. This was the beginning of German-Japanese diplomatic relations, thereby laying the foundation for a close and faithful partnership that is reflected in many economic, scientific, political and cultural relations between the two countries to this day.

Both countries work together in the G7, G20 and United Nations. They are also among the largest national economies in the world: Japan’s gross domestic product (GDP) ranks third behind the USA and China, immediately followed by Germany. Germany is Japan’s largest trading partner in Europe. In turn, Japan is one of Germany’s most important trading partners in the Asia-Pacific region.

Germany’s relationship with Japan

German imported goods
in % of total imports

  • Machinery 15.9% 15.9%
  • Vehicles and parts 14.9% 14.9%
  • Elektronics 14.9% 14.9%

German exported goods
in % of total exports

  • Vehicles and parts 26.3% 26.3%
  • Chemical products 25.4% 25.4%
  • Machinery 16.1% 16.1%
SOURCE: GERMANY TRADE & INVEST 2020;
*PRELIMINARY FIGURE, ESTIMATE OR PREDICTION

Japan

Capital: Tokio
Population 2020: 125.8 Mio.*
Area: 377,970 km2
GDPP/capita 2020: 39,048 US-$*

Major imported goods 2019
in % of total imports

  • 1. Elektronics 12.2% 12.2%
  • 2. Chemical products 10.33% 10.33%
  • 3. Petroleum 10.1% 10.1%

Major exported goods 2019
in % of total imports

  • 1. Vehicles and parts 20.8% 20.8%
  • 2. Machinery 18.8% 18.8%
  • 3. Chemical products 11.1% 11.1%

Main supplier countries 2019
proportion in %

  • 1. China 23.5% 23.5%
  • 2. USA 11.3% 11.3%
  • 3. Australia 6.3% 6.3%

Main buyer countries 2019
proportion in %

  • 1. USA 19.9% 19.9%
  • 2. China 19.1% 19.1%
  • 3. South Korea 6.6% 6.6%
  • 7. Germany 2.9% 2.9%
SOURCE: GERMANY TRADE & INVEST 2020;
*PRELIMINARY FIGURE, ESTIMATE OR PREDICTION

Ports in Japan

Container turnover at the major ports in Japan in 2019
in TEU

Tokio

Yokohama

Kobe

Nagoya

Osaka

SOURCE: STATISTA 2021

Top 5 countries

with the highest gross domestic product (GDP) in 2019
in US $ billions

USA

China

Japan

Germany

India

SOURCE: IMF / STATISTA 2021