Japan’s exports to the United States plummeted 13.8% in August compared with the same month the previous year, marking the fifth straight month of declines, as auto exports were hit by President Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Finance Ministry data released Wednesday showed the drop in exports to the U.S. worsened from a 10.1% decline in July.
U.S. tariffs on Japanese automobiles and auto parts decreased from 27.5%, the amount Trump initially levied, to 15% this week, but that is still well above the original 2.5%.
Wednesday’s data cover August, when the tariffs were higher. Japan’s overall exports were little changed, slipping 0.1%, as shipments to Europe and the Middle East grew.
Provisional data for August showed Japan’s imports from the world fell 5.2% from a year earlier. Imports from China grew 2.1%, while exports to China fell 0.5%. Imports from the U.S. rose 11.6%.
Exports of food grew 18% and ships nearly 25%. Imports of computers rose nearly 35% from a year earlier, while aircraft increased 21%.