Japan’s exports posted a stronger year-on-year increase in May 2026, rising 17.0% compared with the same month a year earlier, according to data updated on 16 June 2026. The acceleration follows a 14.8% year-on-year gain recorded in April 2026.
The figures indicate that Japan’s external sector continued to firm in the second quarter, with May’s export performance improving on the already solid April outcome. Both readings are measured on a year-over-year basis, comparing each month’s export change to the corresponding month in the previous year, underscoring a sustained upward trend in Japan’s trade activity.
