Between 2000 and 2010, EU27 exports of goods to Japan fell slightly in value from 45 bn euro to 44 bn, and EU27 imports from Japan decreased by 30%, from 92 bn to 65 bn. As a result, the EU27 deficit in trade with Japan decreased from 47 bn in 2000 to 21 bn in 2010 and the share of Japan in the EU27's total external trade in goods fell. In 2010, Japan accounted for 3% of EU27 exports and 4% of EU27 imports, and was the EU27's sixth most important trading partner.

Over the last few years, EU27 trade with Japan has followed the same broad pattern as the total extra-EU27 trade, with a significant fall in trade value between 2008 and 2009 and a renewed growth in 2010. EU27 exports to Japan were up by 21% and imports by 14% in 2010 compared with 2009.

On the occasion of the 20th European Union - Japan summit, which will take place on Saturday 28 May 2011 in Brussels, Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, issues data on trade in goods and services and FDI flows between the EU and Japan.

Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and France largest EU traders with Japan

Among the EU27 Member States, Germany (13.0 bn euro or 30% of the total) was by far the largest exporter to Japan in 2010, followed by France (5.9 bn or 14%), the United Kingdom (4.7 bn or 11%) and Italy (4.0 bn or 9%). Germany (17.0 bn or 26%) was also the largest importer, followed by the Netherlands (10.9 bn or 17%) and the United Kingdom (7.9 bn or 12%).

Most Member States recorded trade deficits with Japan in 2010. The largest were observed in the Netherlands1 (-7.8 bn), Germany (-4.0 bn), Belgium1 (-3.6 bn), the United Kingdom (-3.1 bn) and Spain (-1.4 bn). The highest surpluses were registered in Denmark and Ireland (both +1.1 bn), followed by France (+0.6 bn).

Nearly a third of EU27 exports to Japan in 2010 were machinery and vehicles, while chemicals and other manufactured articles each accounted for around a quarter of exports. Machinery and vehicles accounted for more than two thirds of imports and other manufactured articles for almost a fifth. At the detailed level, the main EU27 exports to Japan were medicine, motor cars and pork meat, while the main imports were printers and parts, motor cars and digital cameras.

Recovery of EU27 trade in services with Japan between 2009 and 2010

In 2010, the EU27 exported 18.4 bn euro of services to Japan, while imports of services from Japan amounted to 14.6 bn, meaning that the EU27 had a surplus of 3.8 bn in trade in services with Japan, compared with a surplus of 3.7 bn in 2009 and 4.1 bn in 2008. The surplus in 2010 was mainly due to financial services (+1.7 bn), computer & information services (+1.4 bn) and travel (+1.2 bn). Japan accounted for just over 3% of total extra-EU27 trade in services.

EU27 disinvesment in Japan in 2010

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) flows between the EU27 and Japan show large variations. EU27 investment in Japan declined steadily from 5.6 bn in 2007 to 1.8 bn in 2008 and 0.2 bn in 2009, then turned into a disinvestment of 4.1 bn in 2010. Japanese investment in the EU27 decreased significantly from 19.1 bn in 2007 to 1.9 bn in 2008 and 1.1 bn in 2009, then showed a slight increase to 1.5 bn in 2010.