Energy imports and exports in Japan
Japan: Energy imports and exports was 87.3% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Energy imports and exports in Japan, 1990–2023
Source: IEA Energy Statistics Data Browser, IEA, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of energy use.
Analysis
In 2023, energy imports and exports in Japan stood at 87.3%.
The figure is down 3.0% on the previous year and down 8.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, energy imports and exports in Japan peaked at 96.1% in 2012 and was at its lowest, 80.3%, in 1998.
That places Japan 15th out of 142 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Energy imports and exports in Japan, year by year
| Year | % of energy use | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 86.1% | — |
| 1991 | 84.6% | -1.8% |
| 1992 | 85.0% | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 83.7% | -1.6% |
| 1994 | 84.8% | +1.3% |
| 1995 | 82.9% | -2.2% |
| 1996 | 82.6% | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 81.8% | -1.0% |
| 1998 | 80.3% | -1.8% |
| 1999 | 81.1% | +1.0% |
| 2000 | 82.8% | +2.1% |
| 2001 | 81.2% | -1.9% |
| 2002 | 83.0% | +2.2% |
| 2003 | 85.5% | +3.0% |
| 2004 | 83.8% | -2.0% |
| 2005 | 83.5% | -0.4% |
| 2006 | 82.4% | -1.3% |
| 2007 | 84.3% | +2.4% |
| 2008 | 84.2% | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 80.6% | -4.3% |
| 2010 | 81.7% | +1.4% |
| 2011 | 90.8% | +11.1% |
| 2012 | 96.1% | +5.8% |
| 2013 | 95.7% | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 95.6% | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 94.8% | -0.8% |
| 2016 | 93.8% | -1.1% |
| 2017 | 93.1% | -0.8% |
| 2018 | 91.4% | -1.8% |
| 2019 | 90.6% | -1.0% |
| 2020 | 89.6% | -1.1% |
| 2021 | 88.7% | -1.0% |
| 2022 | 90.0% | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 87.3% | -3.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 83.3% | 80.3% | 86.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 83.1% | 80.6% | 85.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 92.4% | 81.7% | 96.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 88.9% | 87.3% | 90.0% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Japan
More energy & mining data for Japan
- Coal consumption, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal consumption, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fuel imports 19.6% (2025)
- Ores and metals imports 7.0% (2025)
- Ores and metals exports 3.6% (2025)
- Gas production 22.04 terawatt-hours (2024)
- Fossil fuel production per person, by fuel 178.13 kilowatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel 22.04 terawatt-hours (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is energy imports and exports in Japan?
- Energy imports and exports in Japan was 87.3% in 2023, according to IEA Energy Statistics Data Browser, IEA, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest energy imports and exports recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 96.1% in 2012.
- What is the lowest energy imports and exports recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 80.3% in 1998.
- How does Japan rank for energy imports and exports?
- Japan ranks 15th out of 142 countries with data for 2023.
- Is energy imports and exports rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from IEA Energy Statistics Data Browser, IEA, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Energy imports and exports. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 34 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Energy trade, measured as the percentage of energy use. Positive values indicate a country or region is a net importer of energy. Negative numbers indicate a country or region is a net exporter.