According to statistics on Japanese cotton fabric imports, as compiled by the Japan Spinners’ Association based on trade statistics from the Ministry of Finance, 2019 imports dropped 10.6% from the previous year to 223.88 million square meters, as Japanese demand for textile goods lacked vigor.
2019 imports indicated a supply shift from China to countries in South & East Asia.
While imports decreased for most countries, the increase in cotton fabric imports from Pakistan remarkably stood out.
Cotton fabric imports from China (the largest supplier) dropped 20.4% to 88.99 million sq. meters, while those from Pakistan rose by 5.7% to 51.25 million square meters, Pakistan increased its presence as a supplier of commodity fabrics.
Cotton fabric imports from Indonesia fell 11.0% to 51.18 million square meters, but the fall was considerably smaller than that for China. Imports from Thailand remained about the same as the previous year (down 0.1%).
2019 imports of polyester/cotton blended fabrics decreased by 7.3% compared to 2018 to 85.61 million square meters, as the Japanese market lacked vigor. Imports from Vietnam (the largest supplier) fell 10.9% to 51.03 million square meters. Meanwhile, imports from China grew by 4.4% to 45.46 million square meters, as the supply of some items is considered to have returned to China.
