The U.S. share of Japan's international maritime container cargo trade volume declined in both exports and imports in the past five years, according to a survey released by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. The ministry conducted a survey of the international maritime container cargo flow to and from the world's second-biggest economy during the full month of November last year.
The ministry has conducted such a survey every five years. The previous survey was conducted for the full month of October 2003.
According to the latest survey, Japan exported approximately 5.07 million tons of container cargo and imported approximately 8.28 million tons of container cargo in November 2008.
Japan's five largest container ports -- Tokyo, Yokohama, Nagoya, Kobe and Osaka -- handled 77.3 percent of overall container cargo exports and 80 percent of overall container cargo imports.
Japan shipped 14 percent of its overall container cargo exports to the United States last November, down 3.6 points from 17.6 percent five years earlier.
The United States remained the second-biggest destination of Japanese container cargo exports, after China. But as China's share remained unchanged from five years earlier, at 20.3 percent, the gap between the United States and China widened to 6.3 points from 2.7 points in the 2003 survey.
Thailand was the third-biggest destination of Japanese container cargo exports, with a 5.9 percent share, followed by Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates, which had shares of 4.8 percent, 4.6 percent, 4.4 percent and 3.3 percent respectively.
Meanwhile, Japan imported 8.9 percent of its overall container cargo imports from the United States last November, down 2.4 points from 11.3 percent five years earlier.
The United States remained the second-biggest source of Japanese container cargo imports, after China. But as China's share grew 5.2 points to 49.4 percent from 44.2 percent five years earlier, the gap between the United States and China widened to 40.5 points from 32.9 points in the 2003 survey.
Thailand was the third-biggest source of Japanese container cargo imports, with a 5.9 percent share, followed by South Korea, Indonesia, Taiwan and Canada, which had shares of 4.3 percent, 3.9 percent, 2.9 percent and 2.7 percent respectively.
The ministry has conducted such a survey every five years. The previous survey was conducted for the full month of October 2003.
According to the latest survey, Japan exported approximately 5.07 million tons of container cargo and imported approximately 8.28 million tons of container cargo in November 2008.
Japan's five largest container ports -- Tokyo, Yokohama, Nagoya, Kobe and Osaka -- handled 77.3 percent of overall container cargo exports and 80 percent of overall container cargo imports.
Japan shipped 14 percent of its overall container cargo exports to the United States last November, down 3.6 points from 17.6 percent five years earlier.
The United States remained the second-biggest destination of Japanese container cargo exports, after China. But as China's share remained unchanged from five years earlier, at 20.3 percent, the gap between the United States and China widened to 6.3 points from 2.7 points in the 2003 survey.
Thailand was the third-biggest destination of Japanese container cargo exports, with a 5.9 percent share, followed by Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates, which had shares of 4.8 percent, 4.6 percent, 4.4 percent and 3.3 percent respectively.
Meanwhile, Japan imported 8.9 percent of its overall container cargo imports from the United States last November, down 2.4 points from 11.3 percent five years earlier.
The United States remained the second-biggest source of Japanese container cargo imports, after China. But as China's share grew 5.2 points to 49.4 percent from 44.2 percent five years earlier, the gap between the United States and China widened to 40.5 points from 32.9 points in the 2003 survey.
Thailand was the third-biggest source of Japanese container cargo imports, with a 5.9 percent share, followed by South Korea, Indonesia, Taiwan and Canada, which had shares of 4.3 percent, 3.9 percent, 2.9 percent and 2.7 percent respectively.