Japan’s Digital Trade Deficit Hits Record $43 BillionTokyo, 24 Feb (ONA) — Japan’s digital trade deficit hit a record
high of 6.46 trillion yen ($43 billion) in 2024, reflecting the
dominance of services provided by US technology giants, Japan’s
finance ministry said.
The size of Japan’s IT deficit has more than tripled in the past
decade from 2.02 trillion yen in 2014, according to preliminary data
released by the Finance Ministry earlier this month (February 2025).
The ballooning imbalance can be attributed to Japanese companies
being increasingly reliant on digital technologies provided by US
tech giants to improve efficiency due to a lack of domestic
alternatives.
The digital trade balance includes payments for cloud
infrastructure services, online advertising and licensing.
Revenue generated by major US tech firms is only expected to grow
in Japan as individuals and businesses increasingly digitize. — Ends/Khalid
