Posted on August 3, 2026
Japan’s six major container ports handled 1.18 million TEUs of foreign trade containers in May, up just 0.1 per cent year on year, as a surge in import volumes masked ongoing weakness in export traffic, according to data released by the country’s transport ministry.
The figures point to a mixed picture across Japan’s key maritime gateways, with import growth broadly offsetting softer export volumes at most locations while performance varied sharply from port to port. The data underscores a growing divergence in the country’s container trade flows that could complicate equipment positioning and vessel utilisation for carriers serving Northeast Asian trade lanes.
Tokyo remained the largest port by volume, processing 367,332 TEUs, up 0.1 per cent from the same month last year. The capital’s gateway saw exports fall 2.9 per cent to 160,049 TEUs, while imports rose 2.5 per cent to 207,283 TEUs.
Yokohama recorded the strongest growth among the six ports, with total throughput climbing 3 per cent to 235,939 TEUs. Exports at the port declined 3.9 per cent to 119,510 TEUs, but imports jumped 11.3 per cent to 116,429 TEUs.
Yokohama’s Import Surge Leads Mixed Port Performance
Kobe processed 174,728 TEUs, up 0.7 per cent year on year, as exports declined 2.8 per cent to 89,454 TEUs and imports rose 4.6 per cent to 85,274 TEUs.
Nagoya, Japan’s busiest manufacturing hub, saw throughput edge down 0.8 per cent to 219,152 TEUs. Exports at the central Japan facility slipped 0.1 per cent to 111,697 TEUs, while imports fell 1.5 per cent to 107,455 TEUs.
Osaka handled 173,631 TEUs, down 2.6 per cent from May 2025. The port’s exports dropped 5.2 per cent to 77,754 TEUs, and imports declined 0.5 per cent to 95,877 TEUs.
Kawasaki Posts Sharpest Decline Among Major Gateways
Kawasaki recorded the steepest drop of the six ports, with throughput falling 7.1 per cent to 6,935 TEUs. Exports at the port declined 5.9 per cent to 3,755 TEUs, while imports dropped 8.5 per cent to 3,180 TEUs.
Nationwide, exports across the six ports totalled 562,219 TEUs, down 2.9 per cent year on year, while imports reached 615,498 TEUs, up 3 per cent. The import growth was driven largely by Yokohama’s double digit increase, which stood out against otherwise modest year on year movements at most facilities.
For shipping lines and freight forwarders, the widening gap between inbound and outbound volumes presents an operational challenge. Strong import demand can lead to equipment imbalances, as empty containers accumulate at Japanese terminals while exporters face tighter supply of available boxes. The trend also raises questions about the sustainability of Japan’s export competitiveness in key manufacturing sectors.
