Bilateral trade between Cambodia and Japan was worth $1,548 million in the third quarter of the year, down 25 percent compared with the same period last year, according to a record by Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO).
From January to September this year, Cambodia exported $1,208 million, down 5.6 percent compared with the same period last year, while Cambodia imported $339 million, down 14.8 percent, it added.
The Cambodia’s exports to Japan currently account for 0.3 percent of the whole market, while Cambodia’s imports are only 0.1 percent of the total share of Japan, JETRO added.
Cambodia has exported some agro-products (including peppers and fish) cloth, footwear and bikes and imported back machinery and electronic products.
Currently, Japan is not only the main bilateral trade partner, but is also the main foreign donor and foreign investors in Cambodia.
In addition to Cambodia, bilateral trade between Japan and three other Mekong nations – Thailand, Vietnam – and Myanmar also dropped in the third quarter of the year. Laos was an exception.
Japan’s exports to Thailand in this period were worth $17,706 million, down 21.8 percent, and imports were $17,060 million, down 10.5 percent. Japan’s exports to Vietnam were worth $12,085 million, up 0.9 percent, but imports of $15,947 million were down 4.1 percent.
Japan’s exports to Myanmar were worth $449 million, up 0.2 percent, and imports were $1,025 million, down 1.6 percent. Japan’s exports to Laos were worth $106 million, up 58.7 percent, but imports were only $98 million, down 11.4 percent. Last year, two-way trade between the two nations rose by 13 percent to $2,292 million.
This article was first published in Khmer Times. All contents and images are copyright to their respective owners and sources.