Share of global plastic waste imports in Japan
Japan: Share of global plastic waste imports was 0.2% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of global plastic waste imports in Japan, 1988–2024
Source: United Nations Comtrade Database (2025); United Nations Comtrade Database (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of global plastic waste imports in Japan is 0.2%, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of up 1,032.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of global plastic waste imports in Japan peaked at 2.6% in 1988 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 2022.
Japan ranks 42nd of 183 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of global plastic waste imports in Japan, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | 2.6% | — |
| 1989 | 1.7% | -36.8% |
| 1990 | 1.4% | -12.6% |
| 1991 | 0.9% | -40.6% |
| 1992 | 0.2% | -76.8% |
| 1993 | 0.1% | -34.7% |
| 1994 | 0.1% | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 0.1% | -30.3% |
| 1996 | 0.2% | +77.9% |
| 1997 | 0.1% | -31.4% |
| 1998 | 0.3% | +131.3% |
| 1999 | 0.4% | +72.7% |
| 2000 | 0.3% | -38.9% |
| 2001 | 0.1% | -78.3% |
| 2002 | 0.1% | -14.1% |
| 2003 | 0.0% | -16.1% |
| 2004 | 0.0% | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 0.0% | -33.5% |
| 2006 | 0.0% | -9.7% |
| 2007 | 0.0% | -1.3% |
| 2008 | 0.0% | -22.0% |
| 2009 | 0.0% | +18.2% |
| 2010 | 0.0% | -52.8% |
| 2011 | 0.0% | +6.0% |
| 2012 | 0.0% | +17.0% |
| 2013 | 0.0% | +30.2% |
| 2014 | 0.0% | -20.0% |
| 2015 | 0.0% | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 0.0% | +3.4% |
| 2017 | 0.0% | +45.6% |
| 2018 | 0.1% | +208.2% |
| 2019 | 0.3% | +413.8% |
| 2020 | 0.0% | -89.5% |
| 2021 | 0.0% | -18.1% |
| 2022 | 0.0% | -100.0% |
| 2023 | 0.0% | — |
| 2024 | 0.2% | — |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 0.2% is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.0%, 8.6× the median. (68 countries reporting)
- Japan's 0.2% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.0%, 52.4× the median. (30 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of global plastic waste imports in Japan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | +413.8% | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| 2018 | +208.2% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2.1% | 1.7% | 2.6% | 2 |
| 1990s | 0.4% | 0.1% | 1.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Japan
More environment data for Japan
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -4.51 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -4.8 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.358 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.86 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -2.8 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate -0.4957 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of global plastic waste imports in Japan?
- Share of global plastic waste imports in Japan was 0.2% in 2024, according to United Nations Comtrade Database (2025); United Nations Comtrade Database (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of global plastic waste imports recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 2.6% in 1988.
- What is the lowest share of global plastic waste imports recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 2022.
- How does Japan rank for share of global plastic waste imports?
- Japan ranks 42nd out of 183 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of global plastic waste imports rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1,032.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Comtrade Database (2025); United Nations Comtrade Database (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of global plastic waste imports. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage of global plastic waste imports that a country accounts for.