--- title: "ZAWYA-SNG: Kuwait's December trade surplus with Japan down 19.9%" type: "News" locale: "en" url: "https://longbridge.com/en/news/273355104.md" description: "Kuwait's trade surplus with Japan fell 19.9% in December to JPY 55.8 billion (USD 331 million), marking a second consecutive month of decline due to reduced exports. Despite this, Kuwait has maintained a trade surplus with Japan for nearly 18 years. Overall exports to Japan decreased by 13.3% year-on-year, while imports rose by 1.7%. For 2025, Kuwait's total trade surplus was JPY 548.0 billion (USD 3.4 billion), down 34.9% from the previous year, with exports dropping 20.7% and imports increasing by 22.5%." datetime: "2026-01-22T10:09:37.000Z" locales: - [zh-CN](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/news/273355104.md) - [en](https://longbridge.com/en/news/273355104.md) - [zh-HK](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/273355104.md) --- # ZAWYA-SNG: Kuwait's December trade surplus with Japan down 19.9% **Staff Writer** TOKYO — Kuwait's trade surplus with Japan in December narrowed 19.9 percent from a year earlier to JPY 55.8 billion (USD 331 million), down for the second consecutive month due to slow exports, government data showed Thursday. However, Kuwait remained in black ink with Japan for 17 years and 11 months, as exports still outpaced imports in value, the Finance Ministry said in a preliminary report. Overall Kuwaiti exports to Japan shrank 13.3 percent year-on-year to JPY 87.4 billion (USD 529 million) for the second straight month of decline. Imports from Japan grew 1.7 percent to JPY 31.6 billion (USD 185 million), up for the first time in two months. For the whole of 2025, Kuwait saw a trade surplus of JPY 548.0 billion (USD 3.4 billion), down 34.9 percent from the previous year. Kuwait's exports to Japan fell 20.7 percent to JPY 886.2 billion (USD 5.6 billion), while imports jumped 22.5 percent to JPY 338.2 billion (USD 2.1 billion) last year. Middle East's trade surplus with Japan plunged 27.8 percent to JPY 571.1 billion (USD 3.6 billion) in December, with Japan-bound exports from the region shrinking 10.8 percent from a year earlier. Crude oil, refined products, liquefied natural gas (LNG) and other natural resources, which accounted for 94.7 percent of the region's total exports to Japan last month, dropped 11.1 percent. The region's overall imports from Japan rose 18.8 percent on robust demand for automobiles, machinery and steel. The world's third-biggest economy logged a global trade surplus of JPY 105.7 billion (USD 6.4 billion) in December for the second month. Exports increased 5.1 percent from the year before, buoyed by sales of semiconductors and other electronic parts, non-ferrous metal and material. Imports also went up 5.3 percent on computers and units and pharmaceutical products. For the full year 2025, the world's third-biggest economy logged a 2.7 trillion (USD 16.7 billion) red ink for the fifth consecutive year, but its size plummeted 52.9 percent from a year earlier. Exports expanded 3.1 percent, while imports edged up 0.3 percent last year. China remained Japan's biggest trade partner for both December and the full year, followed by the US. The trade data are measured on a customs-cleared basis before adjustment for seasonal factors. All KUNA right are reserved © 2026 Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info). Disclaimer: The content of this article is syndicated or provided to this website from an external third party provider. We are not responsible for, and do not control, such external websites, entities, applications or media publishers. The body of the text is provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis and has not been edited in any way. Neither we nor our affiliates guarantee the accuracy of or endorse the views or opinions expressed in this article. Read our full disclaimer policy here. ### Related Stocks - [513520.CN](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/513520.CN.md) - [688551.CN](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/688551.CN.md) - [03153.HK](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/03153.HK.md) ## Related News & Research - [Erdogan: Turkey taking steps to minimize impact of regional tension on people, companies, markets](https://longbridge.com/en/news/286779152.md) - [Strix Discloses Trust-Led Share Tender by Non-Executive Director](https://longbridge.com/en/news/286884952.md) - [Russian SMEs, banks and oil sector face mounting crisis](https://longbridge.com/en/news/286898713.md) - [Baby food from Ireland recalled due to potential mould growth and spoilage: SFA](https://longbridge.com/en/news/287093082.md) - [Indonesia’s investment app Pluang raises $10M, expands into equities marketGrows**](https://longbridge.com/en/news/286855201.md)