Trade deficit with Japan 6 billion euro

There has been a trade gap between the Netherlands and Japan since the start of the statistics in 1920. More than three quarters of a century ago this deficit was twelve million euro. In 2001 it is more than six billion euro. This is 800 million euro smaller than in 2000 while in the last five years the deficit has risen by nearly ninety percent.

Trade with Japan

Japan most important trading partner in Asia

The Netherlands imported 46 billion euro worth of goods from Asia in 2001, and exported nearly sixteen billion worth to the region. Accounting for nineteen percent of imports and sixteen percent of exports, Japan is the Netherlands’ most important trading partner in Asia. The Netherlands plays the role of distributor in Europe for many Japanese products.

Imports down

Imports from Japan were five percent lower in 2001 than in 2000, at 8.8 billion euro. Total Dutch imports rose by half of a percent in the same year. In the last five years the import value of goods from Japan has risen by nearly eighty percent, while total Dutch imports rose by 55 percent in the same period.

Nearly forty thousand cars were imported from Japan in 2001, 28 thousand fewer than in the previous year (- 42 percent); their value was 350 million euro.

Exports increase

Dutch exports to Japan rose by ten percent in 2001 to a level of 2.6 billion euro. Since 1996 the value of exports has risen by 52 percent. Total Dutch exports rose by 57 percent in the same period and by four percent in the previous twelve months.

Wiel Packbier