Statistics

Annual Report: No. 20 Japan- Houston woos and wins Japan

July 6th, 2006

When it comes to trade with Japan, Houston has posted the biggest surge of any major Customs District.

Japan may have long-standing commercial bonds with the West Coast, but Houston made a mark on the Asian trade lanes in 2005.

Houston posted a 42 percent increase in trade with Japan – the biggest surge of any of the major Customs districts in the United States – to put two-way trade at $2.2 billion.

Houston’s trade growth surpassed the 5 percent increase Japan posted with the United States as a whole. It also topped the 5.5 percent hike in Japan’s trade with the Los Angeles Customs District, which remains Japan’s top U.S. trade partner with $46.4 billion-worth of two-way commerce.

While aircraft and motor vehicles spurred Japanese trade growth elsewhere in the country, Houston’s increase boiled down to what the city is known for: the energy sector.

The top two commodity imports from Japan – seamless iron tubes and pipes and iron and steel tubes and pipes – are generally headed for the oil and chemical industries, according to Houston-based representatives of Japan’s External Trade Organization (Jetro).

Imports of reaction initiators and accelerators, often used as catalysts in the chemical industry, rose 72 percent to top $84 million. Imports of construction and infrastructure-related goods, including self-propelled heavy construction machinery, also rose.

Not surprisingly, Houston’s main exports to Japan came from the chemical and petrochemical sectors. Overall, Houston’s exports to Japan rose 12 percent to $665.4 million.

Houston likely to be No. 4 Customs district for 2006 (01/25/2007)

Houston exports see notable increase in third quarter (12/11/2006)

Semi-annual report: Houston growth at faster clip than most (09/08/2006)

Here comes China! Imports rise 85%, catapault it to No. 3 overall (07/07/2006)

Annual Report: No. 21 Angola- Mutual benefits (07/06/2006)

Annual Report: No. 20 Japan- Houston woos and wins Japan (07/06/2006)

Annual Report: N0. 19 Norway- Symbiotic relationship (07/06/2006)

Annual Report: No. 18 Kuwait- Embracing Mideast opportunities (07/06/2006)

Annual Report: No. 2 Venezuela - Beyond the politicians (07/06/2006)

Annual Report: No. 17 Italy- From leather to nuts (07/06/2006)

Annual Report: No. 16 France- Outpaced by oil-rich nations (07/06/2006)

Annual Report: No. 3 Nigeria - Oil lubricates market (07/06/2006)

Annual Report: No. 15 Colombia- Coffee perks up trade (07/06/2006)

Annual Report: No. 14 Belgium- Scoring with petrochemicals (07/06/2006)

Annual Report: No.13 Russia- Imports, exports, up double digits (07/06/2006)

Annual Report: No. 4 China - Trade skyrockets (07/06/2006)

Annual Report: No. 12 South Korea- Fine-tuning a trade balance (07/06/2006)

Annual Report: No. 11 Iraq- Rebuilding Iraq thanks to oil (07/06/2006)

Annual Report: No. 5 United Kingdom - Setting a fast pace in trade (07/06/2006)

Annual Report: No. 10 Algeria- Algeria ties its fortunes to oil (07/06/2006)

Annual Report: No. 6 Germany - Cars add to spark-fired trade (07/06/2006)

Annual Report: No. 9 The Netherlands- Getting a line to Europe (07/06/2006)

Annual Report: No. 7 Saudi Arabia (07/06/2006)

Annual Report: No. 8 Brazil- New U.S. gateway for Brazil (06/14/2006)

1Q: China, Algeria, Colombia lead way as trade increases 14% (06/02/2006)

Houston is the nation's fastest growing Customs district for 2005, with a 30 percent gain in total import and export value (03/15/2006)

Houston's trade surges
No surprise - it's all about the price of oil (01/01/2006)