Can Japan eliminate US trade surplus with auto, crop imports? It's unlikely

Exporting less and importing more could shave Japan's GDP by 1.4% in one estimate

Cars pictured at a General Motors dealership in the U.S. Japan imported just 13,000 U.S.-made cars last fiscal year, even though they are free from tariffs. (Photo by Azusa Kawakami)

HAJIME TSUKADA

May 20, 2025 01:13 JST

TOKYO -- U.S. President Donald Trump appears to have taken issue with Japan's 9 trillion yen ($62 billion) trade surplus during tariff negotiations, but options for eliminating the surplus face major practical obstacles.

Japan exported 21.6 trillion yen in goods to the U.S. in fiscal 2024 and imported 12.6 trillion yen's worth, according to data from the Japanese Ministry of Finance.