China's share dips to 46.8% in Japan's apparel market, still leads

Japan’s total apparel imports amounted to $8.086 billion in the first four months of the current year. Imports from China were valued at $3.790 billion, representing 46.88 per cent of the total. During the same period in 2024, Japan had imported $3.596 billion worth of apparel from China, which was 48.45 per cent of its total apparel imports valued at $7.423 billion, according to Fibre2Fashion’s market insight tool TexPro.

Japan’s total apparel imports grew by 8.93 per cent in the first four months of 2025, while imports from China rose by only 5.39 per cent. The relatively higher overall growth in imports contributed to China’s declining market share.

Between January and April 2025, Japan’s apparel imports from Vietnam reached $1,503.841 million (18.60 per cent), from Cambodia $543.280 million (6.72 per cent), from Bangladesh $525.744 million (6.50 per cent), and from Myanmar $448.586 million (5.55 per cent), as per TexPro.

Japan’s apparel imports from China were 55.24 per cent in year 2022 when the traded amounted to $13.811 billion.  The inbound shipment from China was $12.158 billion (51.28 per cent) in 2023 and $11.233 billion (49.04 per cent) in year 2024.

China accounted for 55.24 per cent of Japan’s apparel imports in 2022, when imports totalled $13.811 billion. The share fell to 51.28 per cent ($12.158 billion) in 2023 and further declined to 49.04 per cent ($11.233 billion) in 2024.

Japan’s total apparel imports in 2024 were recorded at $22.907 billion, slightly lower than $23.712 billion in 2023 and $25.001 billion in 2022.

ALCHEMPro News Desk (KUL)