Bahrain pushes ahead with Muharraq city redevelopment plan Halliburton wins multi-year Aramco gas development contract Saudi: Kent secures long-term deals with Aramco for future EPC projects Oman and Jordan launch $100mln investment firm Modon, ADIB introduce Abu Dhabi’s first off-plan home financing solutions Abu Dhabi launches maritime investment guide to attract global businesses Saudi Arabia inaugurates over 900km of roads to boost connectivity Gulftainer unveils $2bln global trade infrastructure strategy Saudi Arabia's trade surplus surges 60% to over $24bln in Q1 2026 UAE, Panama discuss boosting trade, investment, supply chains as part of 'UAE Trade Days' Sharjah Chamber registers 30,000 memberships in H1 Saudi tourism spending reaches record $81bln in 2025 Dubai's AMIS breaks ground on Jacob & Co.’s villa community; targets $10bln IPO in three years UAE's new government work model to deploy Agentic AI in public services Indonesia, Kuwait strengthen strategic energy partnership Kuwait unveils framework for 15-year residency for expat investors Riyadh Air takes off on first domestic route to Jeddah Bahrain issues laws to protect investments Qatar's Hamad Port sails into the world's top eight Kuwait air traffic returns to normal, flights resume QatarEnergy announces new oil discovery offshore Namibia UAE developer Alef launches $1.1bln mixed-use development in Sharjah ADNOC eyeing Canada upstream and LNG opportunities via XRG arm, executive says Dubai real estate deals in April surge to $18.7bln Saudi's SAMA mandates advance notification of investment rounds by financing companies Qatar maritime trade activity accelerates in May Oil steadies as uncertainty over US-Iran talks keeps markets on edge Qatar: Relatively hot daytime conditions expected, moderate night Dubai Centre for Family Businesses explores ways to strengthen business adaptability Saudi Crown Prince, UAE President discuss regional security and cooperation

Log in

عربي

Media Centre

Home » Media Centre

Kuwait's December trade surplus with Japan down 30.3%

Kuwait's December trade surplus with Japan down 30.3%

Kuwait's December trade surplus with Japan down 30.3%

Jan 27, 2025

Kuwait's trade surplus with Japan in December narrowed 30.3 percent from a year earlier to JPY 69.7 billion (USD 424 million), down for the fourth consecutive month due to slow exports, government data showed Thursday.

However, Kuwait remained in black ink with Japan for 16 years and 11 months, as exports still outpaced imports in value, the Finance Ministry said in a preliminary report. Overall Kuwaiti exports to Japan shrank 18.0 percent year-on-year to JPY 100.7 billion (USD 622 million) for the fourth straight month of decline. Imports from Japan surged 35.3 percent to JPY 31.0 billion (USD 186 million), up for the first time in two months.

For the whole of 2024, Kuwait saw a trade surplus of JPY 842.0 billion (USD 5.4 billion), down 16.5 percent from the previous year. Kuwait's exports to Japan fell 12.8 percent to JPY 1.1 trillion (USD 7.1 billion), while imports edged up 1.0 percent to JPY 275.9 billion (USD 1.7 billion) last year.

Middle East's trade surplus with Japan plunged 20.0 percent to JPY 790.8 billion (USD 5.0 billion) in December, with Japan-bound exports from the region shrinking 7.2 percent from a year earlier. Crude oil, refined products, liquefied natural gas (LNG) and other natural resources, which accounted for 95.1 percent of the region's total exports to Japan, fell 8.7 percent. The region's overall imports from Japan rose 28.2 percent on robust demand for automobiles, machinery and steel.

Japan's global trade balance returned to surplus for the first time in six months at JPY 130.9 billion (USD 815 million) in December. Exports rose 2.8 percent from the year before, buoyed by sales of chip-making equipment, electronic semiconductor parts and food. Imports also grew 1.8 percent on computers and units, as well as non-ferrous metal.

For the full year 2024, the world's third-biggest economy logged a 5.3 trillion (USD 34.0 billion) red ink for the fourth consecutive year, but its size plummeted 44.0 percent from a year earlier. Exports expanded 6.2 percent, while imports went up 1.8 percent last year.

China remained Japan's biggest trade partner for both December and the full year, followed by the US. The trade data are measured on a customs-cleared basis before adjustment for seasonal factors.