Japan's Exports to the US Rise for First Time in 8 Months... Automobiles Up 1.5%

"Automobile Exports Recovering to Pre-Trump Tariff Levels"

Japan's exports to the United States increased last month for the first time in eight months, buoyed by the conclusion of tariff negotiations between the two countries.

A view of cars waiting for export at a port in Yokohama, Tokyo, Japan last March. Photo by Reuters Yonhap News Agency

According to preliminary trade statistics for November released by Japan's Ministry of Finance on December 17, exports to the United States totaled 1.8168 trillion yen (approximately 17.3 trillion won), up 8.8% from the same period last year. This marks the first time in eight months that Japan's exports to the United States have shown an increase.

Exports of automobiles, a key item, to the United States also rose by 1.5%. The Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported that "Japan's automobile exports to the United States are recovering to levels seen before the tariffs imposed by the Donald Trump administration."

Japan's trade surplus with the United States also increased by 11.3% to 739.7 billion yen, marking the first rise in seven months.

Last month, Japan recorded an overall trade surplus of 322.2 billion yen, the first surplus in five months. Total exports reached 9.7146 trillion yen, up 6.1% from a year earlier, while imports rose 1.3% to 9.3924 trillion yen.