According to a Japan Textiles Exporters Association report on August 2016 Japanese exports of textiles and apparel, based on Ministry of Finance statistics, exports decreased by 5% compared to the same month of last year to US$599.98 million.
By item, exports of textile fibers (staple fibers) continued to decrease at sharp rates in both volume and value, with the volume falling 46% to 17,454 tons and the value by 52% to US$63.87 million. Polyester staple fiber exports were affected by structural reforms and a transfer of production, and acrylic staple fiber by worsening market conditions and the anti-dumping issue in China.
Yarn exports rose by 4% in both volume and value to 9,604 tons worth US$81.66 million. Leading yarn exports was polyester filament yarn, of which the volume grew by 19% to 1,310 tons and the value by 18% to US$9.44 million.
In woven and knitted fabric exports, all major items posted decreases. Polyester filament fabric exports rose by 7% in value to US$40.23 million, but the volume decreased by 4% to 16.80 million sq. meters.
By destination, exports to East Asia decreased by 2% to US$431.19 million, of which those to China (the largest destination) fell 8% to US$181.98 million. Exports to Europe dropped 11% to US$67.07 million, along with those to the U.S. by 6% to US$51.23 million.
January-August exports decreased by 3% year-on-year to US$5,014.26 million. Although exports of woven and knitted fabrics increased in both volume and value, those of textile fibers decreased at sharp rates.