Largest market shown
Oils: petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude
$63.2B of latest reported imports and $29.5B of calculated three-year opportunity.
Importer opportunity guide
Japan import opportunities
where to source next
Explore Japan's import market by product, supplier concentration, demand growth, and sourcing gaps. Use reported market size and calculated indicators to decide where deeper supplier research may be useful.
Latest imports$691.8B2024 reported value
Import CAGR-1.8%Three-year reported change
GDP$4.0TLatest reported value
GDP per capita$32.5KLatest reported value
Trade openness20.0%Reported share of GDP
Japan import opportunities
What makes this an attractive import market?
Compare market size and growth with supplier concentration. A large market may still need product, quality, tariff, logistics, and buyer validation.
Current import base
$691.8B in imports
Japan recorded $691.8B in imports in 2024, with a three-year change of -1.8%.
How to use the guide
Compare demand with supply
Start with the highest-value products, then review supplier concentration and market conditions before choosing a sourcing route.
Import market overview
Find products where demand and sourcing options meet
This page separates reported import observations from calculated indicators so market size is not mistaken for a guaranteed sourcing opportunity.
Japan imports products from suppliers across major trade regions. The current profile reports $691.8B of imports in 2024, while the opportunity view highlights product and supplier combinations where market demand and supply context may justify further research.
Use the opportunity table to compare product market size, demand growth, supplier counts, concentration, and projected imports. High concentration can indicate reliance on a small supplier base; it can also reflect specialized products that require careful validation.
Top import opportunities
Products and supplier context to review
The top 50 screened products are ranked by calculated three-year opportunity. Reported market values and calculated indicators are labeled separately.
| Rank | Product | Market size | Demand growth | Suppliers | Concentration | Top supplier | Projected imports |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | HS 270900Oils: petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude | $63.2BLatest imports | +2.9% | 22 | 3537 | SAUDeclining | $68.8B |
| 2 | HS 270112Coal: bituminous, whether or not pulverised, but not agglomerated | $25.0BLatest imports | +5.6% | 11 | 5136 | AUSDeclining | $29.4B |
| 3 | HS 851712Telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks | $16.1BLatest imports | +12.3% | 61 | 7259 | CHNDeclining | $22.8B |
| 4 | HS 271111Petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons: liquefied, natural gas | $36.3BLatest imports | +6.0% | 21 | 2176 | AUSSlowing | $43.3B |
| 5 | HS 854239Electronic integrated circuits: n.e.c. in heading no. 8542 | $11.9BLatest imports | +2.6% | 61 | 4300 | TWNGrowing | $12.9B |
| 6 | HS 847130Data processing machines: portable, digital and automatic, weighing not more than 10kg, consisting of at least a central processing unit, a keyboard and a display | $7.5BLatest imports | +4.2% | 62 | 9004 | CHNDeclining | $8.5B |
| 7 | HS 260300Copper ores and concentrates | $12.6BLatest imports | +5.2% | 20 | 2358 | CHLDeclining | $14.7B |
| 8 | HS 271112Petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons: liquefied, propane | $7.0BLatest imports | +4.8% | 13 | 5657 | USAGrowing | $8.0B |
| 9 | HS 260111Iron ores and concentrates: non-agglomerated | $8.3BLatest imports | +4.9% | 16 | 4122 | AUSDeclining | $9.6B |
| 10 | HS 271012Product description unavailable | $14.0BLatest imports | +3.9% | 39 | 1894 | AREDeclining | $15.7B |
| 11 | HS 300490Medicaments: consisting of mixed or unmixed products n.e.s. in heading no. 3004, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, packaged for retail sale | $11.8BLatest imports | +8.2% | 68 | 1478 | USADeclining | $14.9B |
| 12 | HS 300215Blood, human or animal, antisera, other blood fractions and immunological products: immunological products, put up in measured doses or in forms or packings for retail sale | $8.7BLatest imports | +10.4% | 36 | 1893 | USADeclining | $11.7B |
| 13 | HS 271019Product description unavailable | $4.9BLatest imports | +3.7% | 66 | 4719 | KORAccelerating | $5.5B |
| 14 | HS 851762Communication apparatus (excluding telephone sets or base stations): machines for the reception, conversion and transmission or regeneration of voice, images or other data, including switching and routing apparatus | $5.9BLatest imports | +11.2% | 74 | 2261 | CHNSlowing | $8.1B |
| 15 | HS 854231Electronic integrated circuits: processors and controllers, whether or not combined with memories, converters, logic circuits, amplifiers, clock and timing circuits, or other circuits | $8.4BLatest imports | +2.2% | 88 | 1998 | TWNDeclining | $9.0B |
| 16 | HS 850760Electric accumulators: lithium-ion, including separators, whether or not rectangular (including square) | $2.8BLatest imports | +16.8% | 49 | 5997 | CHNDeclining | $4.5B |
| 17 | HS 711299Waste and scrap of precious metals: waste and scrap of precious metals including metal clad with precious metals, other than that of gold and platinum and excluding ash which contains precious metal or precious metal compounds | $2.4BLatest imports | +19.2% | 41 | 5516 | IDNDeclining | $4.1B |
| 18 | HS 100590Cereals: maize (corn), other than seed | $3.5BLatest imports | +1.8% | 24 | 6742 | USADeclining | $3.7B |
| 19 | HS 880240Aeroplanes and other aircraft: of an unladen weight exceeding 15,000kg | $4.3BLatest imports | +3.0% | 20 | 4678 | USADeclining | $4.7B |
| 20 | HS 854430Insulated electric conductors: ignition wiring sets and other wiring sets of a kind used in vehicles, aircraft or ships | $5.2BLatest imports | +10.8% | 68 | 2498 | VNMDeclining | $7.1B |
| 21 | HS 841191Turbines: parts of turbo-jets and turbo-propellers | $3.6BLatest imports | +7.3% | 45 | 3335 | USADeclining | $4.4B |
| 22 | HS 290919Ethers: acyclic, and their halogenated, sulphonated, nitrated or nitrosated derivatives, other than diethyl ether | $1.4BLatest imports | +19.0% | 21 | 8768 | USADeclining | $2.4B |
| 23 | HS 950300Tricycles, scooters, pedal cars and similar wheeled toys: dolls' carriages: dolls: other toys: reduced-size (scale) models and similar recreational models, working or not: puzzles of all kinds | $2.6BLatest imports | +3.9% | 90 | 6286 | CHNAccelerating | $2.9B |
| 24 | HS 240391Tobacco: homogenised or reconstituted | $2.7BLatest imports | +26.9% | 20 | 2741 | ITADeclining | $5.2B |
| 25 | HS 847150Digital processing units: other than those of subheadings 8471.41 or 8471.49, whether or not containing in the same housing one or two of the following types of unit: storage units, input units or output units | $6.2BLatest imports | +2.1% | 63 | 2041 | USADeclining | $6.6B |
| 26 | HS 841112Turbo-jets: of a thrust exceeding 25kN | $2.6BLatest imports | +10.2% | 11 | 3437 | USADeclining | $3.5B |
| 27 | HS 160232Meat preparations: of the poultry of heading no. 0105, (i.e. of fowls of the species Gallus domesticus) | $2.2BLatest imports | +8.9% | 18 | 5248 | THADeclining | $2.8B |
| 28 | HS 950450Games: video game consoles and machines, other than those of subheading 9504.30 | $1.6BLatest imports | +8.1% | 49 | 7450 | CHNDeclining | $2.0B |
| 29 | HS 850440Electrical static converters | $2.5BLatest imports | +5.1% | 81 | 3714 | CHNDeclining | $2.9B |
| 30 | HS 880330Aircraft and spacecraft: parts of aeroplanes or helicopters n.e.c. in heading no. 8803 | $2.2BLatest imports | +3.5% | 59 | 5268 | USAStable | $2.4B |
| 31 | HS 852580Television cameras, digital cameras and video camera recorders | $2.6BLatest imports | +14.3% | 64 | 2461 | CHNDeclining | $3.8B |
| 32 | HS 611030Jerseys, pullovers, cardigans, waistcoats and similar articles: of man-made fibres, knitted or crocheted | $2.2BLatest imports | +3.0% | 84 | 5161 | CHNDeclining | $2.4B |
| 33 | HS 841510Air conditioning machines: comprising a motor-driven fan and elements for changing the temperature and humidity, window or wall types, self-contained or split-system | $1.3BLatest imports | +11.3% | 34 | 8044 | CHNDeclining | $1.8B |
| 34 | HS 910221Wrist-watches: whether or not incorporating a stop-watch facility, with automatic winding | $1.3BLatest imports | +6.5% | 49 | 9075 | CHEDeclining | $1.5B |
| 35 | HS 392690Plastics: other articles n.e.s. in chapter 39 | $2.4BLatest imports | +5.3% | 95 | 2850 | CHNDeclining | $2.8B |
| 36 | HS 730890Iron or steel: structures and parts thereof, n.e.s. in heading no. 7308 | $1.5BLatest imports | +7.7% | 61 | 5885 | CHNDeclining | $1.9B |
| 37 | HS 854232Electronic integrated circuits: memories | $2.9BLatest imports | +0.7% | 46 | 3017 | TWNDeclining | $3.0B |
| 38 | HS 843149Machinery: parts of machines handling earth, minerals or ores and n.e.c. in heading no. 8431 | $1.5BLatest imports | +9.6% | 62 | 5350 | CHNDeclining | $2.0B |
| 39 | HS 300220Vaccines: for human medicine | $1.4BLatest imports | +23.2% | 24 | 3554 | BELGrowing | $2.6B |
| 40 | HS 901890Medical, surgical or dental instruments and appliances: n.e.c. in heading no. 9018 | $3.0BLatest imports | +5.1% | 74 | 1763 | USADeclining | $3.5B |
| 41 | HS 848690Machines and apparatus of heading 8486: parts and accessories | $2.1BLatest imports | +21.5% | 54 | 1920 | USASlowing | $3.7B |
| 42 | HS 870323Vehicles: spark-ignition internal combustion reciprocating piston engine, cylinder capacity exceeding 1500cc but not exceeding 3000cc | $2.5BLatest imports | -2.7% | 49 | 3421 | DEUDeclining | $2.3B |
| 43 | HS 870332Vehicles: compression-ignition internal combustion piston engine (diesel or semi-diesel), cylinder capacity exceeding 1500cc but not exceeding 2500cc | $1.6BLatest imports | +9.4% | 28 | 3735 | DEUDeclining | $2.2B |
| 44 | HS 854140Electrical apparatus: photosensitive, including photovoltaic cells, whether or not assembled in modules or made up into panels, light emitting diodes | $1.7BLatest imports | +6.7% | 52 | 3632 | CHNDeclining | $2.1B |
| 45 | HS 848620Machines and apparatus of a kind used solely or principally for the manufacture of semiconductor devices or of electronic integrated circuits | $2.8BLatest imports | +15.2% | 31 | 2128 | NLDDeclining | $4.2B |
| 46 | HS 710691Metals: silver, unwrought, (but not powder) | $1.3BLatest imports | +8.9% | 20 | 5669 | KORDeclining | $1.7B |
| 47 | HS 852872Reception apparatus for television, whether or not incorporating radio-broadcast receivers or sound or video recording or reproducing apparatus: incorporating a colour video display or screen | $1.6BLatest imports | +2.5% | 40 | 5287 | CHNDeclining | $1.7B |
| 48 | HS 711041Metals: iridium, osmium, ruthenium, unwrought or in powder form | $770.1MLatest imports | +24.1% | 12 | 6139 | ZAFDeclining | $1.5B |
| 49 | HS 630790Textiles: made up articles (including dress patterns), n.e.c. in chapter 63, n.e.c. in heading no. 6307 | $1.1BLatest imports | +6.9% | 84 | 6517 | CHNSlowing | $1.4B |
| 50 | HS 750110Nickel: nickel mattes | $1.2BLatest imports | +3.7% | 4 | 7338 | IDNStable | $1.3B |
Showing the five highest-ranked products on mobile. View the complete import opportunity data.
Product sectors
Which sectors carry the most demand?
HS2 sectors group the screened products into broader families for an easier first comparison.
| Sector | Products | Market size | Opportunity | Average growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mineral fuelsHS2 27 | 4 | $131.5B | $73.7B | +4.8% |
| Electrical equipmentHS2 85 | 11 | $61.6B | $48.2B | +7.7% |
| MachineryHS2 84 | 8 | $27.5B | $19.8B | +10.2% |
| Ores, slag and ashHS2 26 | 2 | $21.0B | $11.7B | +5.1% |
| Pharmaceutical productsHS2 30 | 3 | $21.9B | $8.6B | +13.9% |
| HS2 sector 00HS2 00 | 2 | $18.9B | $8.3B | +3.8% |
| Precious stones and metalsHS2 71 | 3 | $4.5B | $5.3B | +17.4% |
| AircraftHS2 88 | 2 | $6.5B | $4.5B | +3.2% |
| Toys and sports equipmentHS2 95 | 2 | $4.2B | $4.0B | +6.0% |
| CerealsHS2 10 | 1 | $3.5B | $2.9B | +1.8% |
| VehiclesHS2 87 | 2 | $4.1B | $2.6B | +3.4% |
| Organic chemicalsHS2 29 | 1 | $1.4B | $2.3B | +19.0% |
Supply gaps
Where supplier concentration deserves attention
The concentration index helps identify products where reported imports rely more heavily on a smaller supplier base. It is a screening signal, not a recommendation by itself.
| Product | Market size | Suppliers | Concentration | Top supplier | Share gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HS 910221Wrist-watches: whether or not incorporating a stop-watch facility, with automatic winding | $1.3B | 49 | 9075 | CHE | 95.2% |
| HS 847130Data processing machines: portable, digital and automatic, weighing not more than 10kg, consisting of at least a central processing unit, a keyboard and a display | $7.5B | 62 | 9004 | CHN | 94.8% |
| HS 290919Ethers: acyclic, and their halogenated, sulphonated, nitrated or nitrosated derivatives, other than diethyl ether | $1.4B | 21 | 8768 | USA | 93.5% |
| HS 841510Air conditioning machines: comprising a motor-driven fan and elements for changing the temperature and humidity, window or wall types, self-contained or split-system | $1.3B | 34 | 8044 | CHN | 89.1% |
| HS 950450Games: video game consoles and machines, other than those of subheading 9504.30 | $1.6B | 49 | 7450 | CHN | 85.4% |
| HS 750110Nickel: nickel mattes | $1.2B | 4 | 7338 | IDN | 84.9% |
| HS 851712Telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks | $16.1B | 61 | 7259 | CHN | 84.7% |
| HS 100590Cereals: maize (corn), other than seed | $3.5B | 24 | 6742 | USA | 80.1% |
Supplier landscape
Which supplier markets appear most often?
These supplier names come from the leading peer signal in the screened opportunity rows and should be validated at product level.
CHN
China
16 screened products
$52.9BCalculated opportunity across these rowsAUS
Australia
3 screened products
$44.1BCalculated opportunity across these rowsUSA
USA, Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands
12 screened products
$31.7BCalculated opportunity across these rowsSAU
Saudi Arabia
1 screened products
$29.5BCalculated opportunity across these rowsTWN
Taiwan
3 screened products
$13.2BCalculated opportunity across these rowsCHL
Chile
1 screened products
$6.0BCalculated opportunity across these rowsKOR
Republic of Korea
2 screened products
$4.8BCalculated opportunity across these rowsARE
United Arab Emirates
1 screened products
$4.7BCalculated opportunity across these rowsFrequently asked questions
Using the Japan import opportunity index
Definitions and practical guidance for interpreting market size, growth, suppliers, and concentration.
What are the import opportunities?
They are product and supplier combinations in Japan's screened import market with substantial reported demand and calculated opportunity indicators. They are research priorities, not guaranteed savings or supply contracts.
What does supplier concentration mean?
The concentration index indicates how much reported imports rely on a smaller supplier base. A high value can suggest supply dependence, but it can also reflect specialized products or limited reporting.
How should sourcing teams use this page?
Start with products that fit your specification and volume needs, then validate suppliers, tariffs, standards, logistics, pricing, and continuity for Japan.
Data source
OECD trade statistics with CEPII context
OECD (2025), Balanced international merchandise trade statistics (BIMTS) - HS2017-6D, OECD Data Explorer (accessed on 2026-08-30). OECD BIMTS is the primary trade series for this view. Supporting bilateral trade context uses CEPII BACI bilateral trade flows (202601) under Etalab 2.0 Open Licence. Yugalinks presents derived views of reported observations and calculated indicators. Data terms: OECD Terms & Conditions.