Value of two-way trade between Japan and the U.A.E. during the first six months of 2014 rose by 4.43 per cent to US$25.92 billion, compared to US $ 24.82 billion during the same period in the previous year.
The increase in trade is driven by expansions in both exports and imports to and from the U.A.E.. Japan's exports to the U.A.E. surged by nearly 13 per cent to US$ 4.59 billion, and imports by 2.76 per cent to US$ 21.34 billion during the first six months of 2014.
Japan's first half trade deficit with the U.A.E. remained nearly at the same level of H1, 2013 at US$16.7 billion.
Japan's world trade during the first-half of 2014 remained almost at the same level of the previous year's first half, with overall trade registering a marginal fall of just 0.42 per cent at US$758.57 billion, compared to US$761.82 billion during the same period of the previous year.
Japan's trade deficit in her world trade grew consistently for the past 3 years, and the first-half 2014 deficit reached nearly US$74 billion from US$51 billion during the same period in the previous year.
Japan's major exports to the U.A.E.:
Considerable expansion in exports was seen in almost all major commodities, with the exception of structural iron and steel, tyres and organic chemicals.
Export of most other commodities, starting from automobiles to non-alcoholic beverages, expanded in varying degrees. Notable increase in exports was registered for general machinery, iron and steel products, optical and photographic products and non-alcoholic beverages. Electrical machinery, textiles, precious stones and metals etc. have posted moderate increase in exports.
Motor vehicles remained to be the dominant commodity of Japan's exports to the U.A.E., covering more than half of Japan's total exports to the U.A.E..
Export of motor vehicles rose by 11.36 per cent during the first half of 2014 to US$2.38 billion, compared to US$2.13 billion during the same period in 2013.
Export of passenger motor cars, covering 67.2 per cent of all motor vehicle exports to the U.A.E., surged by 17.62 per cent to US$1,598.40 billion during the 6-months period.
U.A.E. was Japan's 5th largest export destination of passenger motor cars in the world, after the United States of America, China, Russia and Canada. Among the GCC states, Saudi Arabia ranked 7th and the Sultanate of Oman 9th. However, due to a major fall in the export (-38.52 per cent) of small trucks below 5 ton capacity, truck exports to the U.A.E. fell by an overall 22.44 per cent to US$313 million from US$404 million in the previous first half. Export of automobile parts and accessories has also registered an increase of 22 per cent to US$233.2 million.
Though the amount is not large, s significant increase of 130 per cent was seen in the export of motorcycles, posting the export value at US$15.1 million, in the place of US$6.8 million in the previous first half.