Japan Suffers Record Trade Deficit Amid Soaring Energy Imports

Japan's trade deficit reached a staggering 1.106 trillion yen in August 2026, marking the fourth consecutive month of deficits.

The Ministry of Finance reported that imports surged by 28% year-on-year to reach 11.154 trillion yen, while exports increased by 19.3% to approximately 10.048 trillion yen.

The sharp rise in imports was driven primarily by a significant increase in the value of energy and electronic component imports, with crude oil imports jumping by 58.7% and liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports rising by 29.7%.