← Overview

Strategic Lens

France and Japan

First country

Second country

In 2025, France sold USD 9.59 billion of goods to Japan and bought USD 9.64 billion from it. The DESTA database lists 1 trade agreement that includes both countries, the most recent being EC Japan (2019). Both are members of the G20, the G7 and the OECD. Their agreement score in UN General Assembly voting was 86 percent in 2023, and 86 percent on average over 2019 to 2023. In 2024, 15 thousand people born in France lived in Japan.

Benefits

  • BothTrade in goods runs both ways in similar amounts: France sold USD 9.59 billion and Japan sold USD 9.64 billion in 2025.
  • BothTrade in mineral fuels and oils runs both ways in similar amounts: France sold USD 20.8 million and Japan sold USD 18.2 million in 2025.
  • BothTwo-way trade in critical minerals and metals grew 182 percent, from USD 22.8 million in 2019 to USD 64.2 million in 2025.

Constraints

  • BothThe two countries' customs reports differ on goods sold by Japan to France in 2025: France reports USD 9.64 billion and Japan reports USD 6.76 billion.
  • BothTwo-way trade in mineral fuels and oils fell 74 percent, from USD 149 million in 2019 to USD 39.0 million in 2025.
  • BothFlows are one-sided: in 2025, France sold USD 1.53 billion of agricultural and food products, against USD 137 million the other way.

Sources: UN Comtrade (public preview API), annual goods trade, HS classification (retrieved 26 September 2026); DESTA: Design of Trade Agreements database, version 02_03 (retrieved 25 September 2026); Wikidata, statements on membership (property P463) (retrieved 26 September 2026); United Nations General Assembly voting data (Voeten, Strezhnev and Bailey), agreement scores (retrieved 25 September 2026); UN DESA International Migrant Stock 2024 (retrieved 25 September 2026)

Last updated on 26 September 2026

At a glance

Goods trade, both ways
USD 19.2 billion
2025, as reported by France
France to Japan
USD 9.59 billion
2025, as reported by France
Japan to France
USD 9.64 billion
2025, as reported by France

What connects France and Japan

Economy

Trade in goodsIn 2025, France sold USD 9.59 billion of goods to Japan and bought USD 9.64 billion from it.

Resources

EnergyIn 2025, France sold USD 20.8 million of mineral fuels and oils to Japan and bought USD 18.2 million from it.Critical mineralsIn 2025, France sold USD 43.4 million of critical minerals and metals to Japan and bought USD 20.8 million from it.Agriculture and foodIn 2025, France sold USD 1.53 billion of agricultural and food products to Japan and bought USD 137 million from it.

Industry

Supply chains and manufacturingIn 2025, France sold USD 737 million of machinery, vehicles and iron and steel to Japan and bought USD 4.18 billion from it.TechnologyIn 2025, France sold USD 247 million of electrical and electronic equipment to Japan and bought USD 1.37 billion from it.Pharma and healthIn 2025, France sold USD 523 million of pharmaceutical products to Japan and bought USD 355 million from it.

Security

Nuclear and spaceIn 2025, France sold USD 257 million of nuclear materials, reactors and spacecraft to Japan.

Diplomacy

Agreements and treatiesThe DESTA database lists 1 trade agreement that includes both countries, the most recent being EC Japan (2019).Multilateral alignmentBoth are members of the G20, the G7 and the OECD. Their agreement score in UN General Assembly voting was 86 percent in 2023, and 86 percent on average over 2019 to 2023.Diaspora and mobilityIn 2024, 15 thousand people born in France lived in Japan.

← Asia