Japan Permanent Virtual Exhibition and Business Directory

Japan consists of four main islands, Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu, and a large number of smaller islands. It is situated some 200-700 km off the east coast of the Asian mainland across the Sea of Japan. In global terms Japan's economy remains the second largest in the world and its multinationals are household names.

Japanese industry is heavily dependent on imported raw materials and fuels. Major industries include manufacturing, construction, distribution, real estate, services and communication.

Japan's main export goods are cars, electronic devices and computers. It most important single trade partner is the USA, which imports more than one quarter of all Japanese exports. Other major export countries are Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea, China and Singapore.

Japan has a large surplus in its export/import balance. The most important import goods are raw materials such as oil, foodstuffs, and wood, imported mainly from the USA, China, Indonesia, South Korea and Australia.

Japan's small agricultural sector accounts for only about 2 per cent of its GNP and is highly subsidised and protected, with crop yields among the highest in the world. Japan's most important agricultural product is rice, in which it is self-sufficient. However, it must import about 50 per cent of its requirements of other grain and fodder crops.

Japan maintains one of the world's largest fishing fleets and accounts for nearly 15 per cent of the global catch.