Australia-Japan Trade 2026: The Definitive Outlook

Total trade between Australia and Japan peaked in 2022 at over $70.3 billion. While values have moderated to $48 billion in 2024, the overall five-year trend shows significant growth from the 2020 baseline of $31.1 billion, reflecting a resilient but volatile trading relationship driven by global commodity demand.

Australia consistently maintains a trade surplus with Japan. In 2024, exports reached $30.6 billion compared to $17.4 billion in imports. Although export volumes dropped from their 2022 peak of $52.5 billion, they remain substantially higher than the $18.6 billion recorded in 2020, demonstrating sustained export strength.

The bilateral trade market shows a robust growth rate of 11.43%. This double-digit expansion indicates a strong and deepening economic integration between Australia and Japan, suggesting that despite year-on-year fluctuations in specific commodity values, the long-term trajectory of the partnership remains positive and expansive.

Japan's imports from Australia are dominated by energy resources. Coal leads at $18.9 billion, followed closely by LNG at $15.9 billion. Other significant commodities include iron ores ($5.5 billion) and copper concentrates ($1.9 billion), highlighting Australia's role as a critical resource supplier for Japanese industry and power.