Photo: JurriaanH · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 12 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Japan: Mobility & Trade
How connected is a country to the rest of the world?
Japan is placed 25th of 177 countries on mobility & trade in the Country Index 2026, from 4 of its 4 key statistics. Readings behind it: Liner Shipping Connectivity Index 424.71 (2025); Container Import Dwell Time 5.6 (2024).
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Mobility & Trade
25th
of 177 countries placed
Placed from 4 of 4 key statistics
01The evidence
The 4 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Japan on mobility & trade — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.
Key 1 of 4
Liner Shipping Connectivity Index
UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY 3.0 IGO
424.71
LSCI (index, average Q1 2023 = 100)
Higher is better
Ranked 7th of 177 by UNCTAD
Japan: 424.71. Across the 168 countries in this edition, values run from 4.13 (Turks and Caicos Islands) to 1,313 (China); the world median is 60.84.
- World median
- 60.84
- Best in Eastern Asia
- 1,313 China
5.6
Median days a full import container waits in port
Lower is better
Japan: 5.6. Across the 156 countries in this edition, values run from 1 (Gibraltar) to 21.6 (Haiti); the world median is 4.4.
- World median
- 4.4
- Best in Eastern Asia
- 1.4 Macau
3.9
LPI score (1–5)
Higher is better
Ranked 13th of 139 by World Bank Group
Japan: 3.9. Across the 139 countries in this edition, values run from 1.9 (Afghanistan) to 4.3 (Singapore); the world median is 2.9.
- World median
- 2.9
- Best in Eastern Asia
- 4 Hong Kong
Key 4 of 4
ICT Goods Exports
UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
2024 edition · data for 2024 · CC BY 3.0 IGO
7.64
ICT goods exports (% of total goods exports)
Higher is better
Japan: 7.64. Across the 120 countries in this edition, values run from 0 (Gambia) to 61.45 (Hong Kong); the world median is 0.975.
- World median
- 0.975
- Best in Eastern Asia
- 61.45 Hong Kong
02Over time
Which way Japan is moving
Each key’s published value, edition by edition, beside the world median. The Country Index 2026 is the first edition of the standing, so the standing itself has no history to chart yet.
Liner Shipping Connectivity Index
LSCI (index, average Q1 2023 = 100) · higher is better
JapanWorld median
Japan fell from 527.05 in 2006 to 415.71 in 2026; the world median went from 52.25 to 56.21.
Every year’s figures
Year Japan World median 2026 415.7 56.21 2025 424.7 60.84 2024 411.4 55.22 2023 416.2 54.78 2022 404.0 51.49 2021 389.0 52.64 2020 406.3 47.86 2019 420.8 51.05 2018 411.5 52.03 2017 400.5 49.87 2016 398.1 48.09 2015 424.3 49.13 2014 434.2 48.08 2013 426.0 51.32 2012 442.8 47.44 2011 447.7 50.26 2010 474.4 50.51 2009 463.8 53.04 2008 491.3 51.68 2007 511.5 55.78 2006 527.1 52.25 Logistics Performance Index
LPI score (1–5) · higher is better
JapanWorld median
Japan fell from 4.024 in 2007 to 3.9 in 2023; the world median went from 2.529 to 2.9.
Every year’s figures
Year Japan World median 2023 3.900 2.900 2018 4.026 2.706 2016 3.970 2.734 2014 3.915 2.753 2012 3.933 2.773 2010 3.966 2.746 2007 4.024 2.529 ICT Goods Exports
ICT goods exports (% of total goods exports) · higher is better
JapanWorld median
Japan fell from 22.16 in 2000 to 7.64 in 2024; the world median went from 0.43 to 0.975.
Every year’s figures
Year Japan World median 2024 7.64 0.975000 2023 7.65 0.690000 2022 8.16 0.565000 2021 8.09 0.550000 2020 8.33 0.680000 2019 7.48 0.625000 2018 7.56 0.480000 2017 7.78 0.630000 2016 7.68 0.865000 2015 7.85 0.790000 2014 7.69 0.760000 2013 7.96 0.645000 2012 8.39 0.630000 2011 8.40 0.535000 2010 9.80 0.560000 2009 11.24 0.780000 2008 11.03 0.595000 2007 12.38 0.660000 2006 15.13 0.445000 2005 16.12 0.570000 2004 17.60 0.535000 2003 18.59 0.530000 2002 19.28 0.510000 2001 19.83 0.490000 2000 22.16 0.430000
03In context
Japan beside its neighbours
A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 177 countries on mobility & trade, never a place within the region.
Japan and Eastern Asia
Japan has no land border, so the table compares it with its sub-region. Standing among all 177; the key columns are the publishers’ own values.
| Country | Standing | Liner Shipping Connectivity IndexLSCI (index, average Q1 2023 = 100) | Container Import Dwell TimeMedian days a full import container waits in port | Logistics Performance IndexLPI score (1–5) | ICT Goods ExportsICT goods exports (% of total goods exports) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Macau | 2nd | — | 1.4 | — | 19.61 |
 Hong Kong | 3rd | 337.4 | 2.7 | 4 | 61.45 |
 South Koreacompare | 8th | 631.3 | 4.1 | 3.8 | 28.33 |
 Chinacompare | 9th | 1,313 | 4 | 3.7 | 21.32 |
 Taiwan | 16th | 330.99 | 3.9 | 3.9 | — |
| Japan | 25th | 424.71 | 5.6 | 3.9 | 7.64 |
 Mongolia | not placed | — | — | 2.5 | — |
 North Korea | not placed | — | — | — | — |
“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is
Across Eastern Asia
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 177.
Placed either side on mobility & trade
The countries immediately above and below Japan in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where Japan is ahead of the world, and behind
23 more statistics filed under mobility & trade, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.
Ahead of the world median4
Statistics on which Japan does better than the middle country measured.
Digital Services Trade Restrictiveness IndexOECD · 2025 · world median 0.2060.0420.206▲ Improved since 2015
Japan: 0.042 · world median 0.206 · Digital STRI (0 = open, 1 = closed). OECD, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.021 to 0.649; lower is better.
Position 121st of 125 · derived, 1st = worst.
Digitally-Deliverable Services ExportsUNCTAD · 2024 · world median 25.4252.925.42▼ Worsened since 2014
Japan: 52.9 · world median 25.42 · Digitally-deliverable services exports (% of services exports). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.377 to 87.15; higher is better.
Position 29th of 170 · derived.
Freedom of Foreign MovementV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 1.21.9511.2No real change since 2015
Japan: 1.951 · world median 1.2 · Original latent estimate (≈ −3.6 to +2.9); higher = freer movement. V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from -3.642 to 2.727; higher is better.
Position 47th of 176 · derived.
FDI Regulatory Restrictiveness IndexOECD · 2024 · world median 0.0790.0480.079No real change since 2018
Japan: 0.048 · world median 0.079 · FDI Regulatory Restrictiveness Index (0 = open, 1 = closed). OECD, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 0.567; lower is better.
Position 63rd of 104 · derived, 1st = worst.
Behind the world median2
Statistics on which Japan does worse than the middle country measured.
ICT Services ExportsUNCTAD · 2024 · world median 7.4744.7137.474▲ Improved since 2014
Japan: 4.713 · world median 7.474 · ICT services exports (% of services exports). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 56.25; higher is better.
Position 79th of 118 · derived.
Average Time to Clear Exports Through CustomsWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 4.45610.14.456No earlier reading
Japan: 10.1 · world median 4.456 · Average time to clear exports through customs (days). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 1 to 27.46; lower is better.
Position 31st of 174 · derived, 1st = worst.
No better end17
These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.
Merchant Fleet by Country of OwnershipUNCTAD · 2026 · world median 275.73243,175275.73No real change since 2016
Japan: 243,175 · world median 275.73 · Merchant fleet owned (thousand dead-weight tons). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 397,071.
Creative Services ExportsUNCTAD · 2024 · world median 6.17126.346.171No real change since 2014
Japan: 26.34 · world median 6.171 · Creative services exports (% of services exports). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.002 to 63.91.
Container Port TrafficUNCTAD · 2024 · world median 1,827,78821,886,6831,827,788Moved since 2014
Japan: 21,886,683 · world median 1,827,788 · Container port traffic (TEU, twenty-foot equivalent units). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 17,263 to 299,703,800.
Position 9th of 103 · derived, counted from the highest value.
International MigrantsUN DESA Population Division · 2024 · world median 223,3233,409,529223,323Moved since 2015
Japan: 3,409,529 · world median 223,323 · International migrants living in the country, mid-year (people). UN DESA Population Division, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 246 to 52,375,047.
Asylum-Seekers by Country of AsylumUNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency · 2025 · world median 1,83622,6471,836Moved since 2015
Japan: 22,647 · world median 1,836 · Asylum-seekers awaiting a decision, end of year (people). UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 3,718,945.
EmigrantsUN DESA Population Division · 2024 · world median 444,4511,008,173444,451Moved since 2015
Japan: 1,008,173 · world median 444,451 · Migrants from the country living abroad, mid-year (people). UN DESA Population Division, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 313 to 18,533,845.
Net Migration RateUN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median -0.1331.407-0.133Moved since 2013
Japan: 1.407 · world median -0.133 · Net migrants per 1,000 population. UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from -61.68 to 39.62.
Refugee Population by Country of AsylumUNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency · 2025 · world median 12,26942,45012,269Moved since 2015
Japan: 42,450 · world median 12,269 · Refugees under UNHCR's mandate hosted, end of year (people). UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 2,655,191.
Creative Goods ExportsUNCTAD · 2024 · world median 1.2350.9961.235No real change since 2014
Japan: 0.996 · world median 1.235 · Creative goods exports (% of merchandise exports). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 37.23.
Foreign Value Added Share of Gross ExportsOECD · 2022 · world median 27.4120.9827.41Moved since 2012
Japan: 20.98 · world median 27.41 · Foreign value added (% of gross exports). OECD, 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 4.491 to 66.08.
International Migrants as a Share of PopulationUN DESA Population Division · 2024 · world median 6.0892.7556.089Moved since 2015
Japan: 2.755 · world median 6.089 · International migrants (% of population). UN DESA Population Division, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.02 to 100.
Tariff Rate, Applied, Weighted Mean, All ProductsWorld Bank Group · 2022 · world median 3.661.643.66Moved since 2012
Japan: 1.64 · world median 3.66 · Applied tariff rate, trade-weighted mean (%). World Bank Group, 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 29.52.
Services ExportsUNCTAD · 2025 · world median 9.6025.7779.602Moved since 2015
Japan: 5.777 · world median 9.602 · Services exports (% of GDP). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.085 to 166.21.
Terms of Trade IndexUNCTAD · 2025 · world median 103.2393.65103.23Moved since 2015
Japan: 93.65 · world median 103.23 · Terms of trade index (2015 = 100). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 38.2 to 1,448.
Export Concentration IndexUNCTAD · 2025 · world median 0.3060.1580.306Moved since 2015
Japan: 0.158 · world median 0.306 · Export concentration index (0–1, normalised Herfindahl–Hirschman). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.059 to 0.933.
Outbound Mobility Ratio, TertiaryUIS · 2023 · world median 5.2790.8645.279Moved since 2013
Japan: 0.864 · world median 5.279 · Outbound mobility ratio, tertiary (% of tertiary enrolment at home). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.333 to 1,724.
Commodity Export DependenceUNCTAD · 2024 · world median 67.179.76667.17No real change since 2014
Japan: 9.766 · world median 67.17 · Commodity exports (% of merchandise exports, three-year average). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 4.605 to 99.77.
No current reading for Japan
Cereal Import Dependency Ratio (last 2008), Cost of Sending Remittances, Exports of Goods and Services (% of GDP) (last 2024), Imports of Goods and Services (% of GDP) (last 2024), Inbound Mobility Rate, Tertiary (last 2023) and Trade (% of GDP) (last 2024). Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.
“Position · derived” is this site’s ordering of the published values, 1st = best unless the row says otherwise; the publisher ranks no country on it. Rank, position and standing
05Country Index 2026
Mobility & Trade among Japan’s 15 topics
Mobility & Trade is Japan’s 10th best-placed topic of 15. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Work & Labour2nd of 1824/4 keys
- Economy & Innovation2nd of 1764/4 keys
- Food & Agriculture5th of 1842/4 keys
- Health & Wellbeing7th of 2003/4 keys
- Digital & Technologyjoint 9th of 1984/4 keys
- Governance & Institutionsjoint 10th of 1944/4 keys
- Education & Knowledge13th of 1982/4 keys
- Peace & Security12th of 1774/4 keys
- Development & Human Capital18th of 1963/3 keys
- Mobility & Trade25th of 1774/4 keys
- Democracy & Civil Liberties28th of 1984/4 keys
- Risk & Resilience55th of 1934/4 keys
- Poverty & Inequality56th of 1593/3 keys
- Gender & Equalityjoint 116th of 1834/4 keys
- Environment & Sustainability161st of 1864/4 keys
No standing on Energy: too few of those topics’ key statistics are published for this country.
06The top of the list
Who leads on mobility & trade
The three countries placed highest of 177, and the leaders Japan can most readily be measured against.
1
SingaporeSouth-eastern Asia
1st of 177 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: Khairul Nizam . · CC BY 2.0, greyscale
2MacauEastern Asia
2nd of 177 · 2 of 4 keys
Photo: Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
3Hong KongEastern Asia
3rd of 177 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: Base64 and Derivative work by Globe-trotter · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
Placed highest nearby
Highest in Asia
Singapore1st4/4 keysHighest in Eastern Asia
Macau2nd2/4 keysThis page
Japan25th4/4 keys
Positions out of 177 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.
07Analysis
Charts and analysis about Japan and mobility & trade
On mobility & trade
China Leads Global High-Technology Exports
The world’s ten largest high-technology exporters as a treemap, with the rest of the world beside them. Each country’s figure is its own most recent year, between 2022 and 2024.
On mobility & trade
The World’s Safest Airlines for 2025
The eleven safest airlines of 2025, each beside the country it is based in, and the nine things the grading looks at. Three airlines share third place, and the publisher gives an order but no score.
On mobility & trade
The world’s most powerful passports for 2025
Sixteen passports, their mobility scores, and the visa-free, visa-on-arrival and visa-required split behind each. Fourteen share third place while differing in how they reach it.
08Questions
Japan on mobility & trade: questions answered
Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.
How does Japan rank on mobility & trade?
Japan is placed 25th of 177 countries on Mobility & Trade in the Country Index 2026, from 4 of its 4 key statistics (Liner Shipping Connectivity Index, Container Import Dwell Time, Logistics Performance Index and ICT Goods Exports). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.
What is the latest Liner Shipping Connectivity Index figure for Japan?
424.71 in 2025 (lSCI (index, average Q1 2023 = 100)), according to UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD). The world median in the same edition was 60.84.
What is the latest Container Import Dwell Time figure for Japan?
5.6 in 2024 (median days a full import container waits in port), according to World Bank Group. The world median in the same edition was 4.4.
How have Japan’s mobility & trade figures changed?
Liner Shipping Connectivity Index fell from 527.05 in 2006 to 415.71 in 2026; Logistics Performance Index fell from 4.024 in 2007 to 3.9 in 2023; ICT Goods Exports fell from 22.16 in 2000 to 7.64 in 2024.
Which mobility & trade statistics are missing for Japan?
No current reading is published for Japan on Cereal Import Dependency Ratio, Cost of Sending Remittances, Exports of Goods and Services (% of GDP), Imports of Goods and Services (% of GDP), Inbound Mobility Rate, Tertiary and Trade (% of GDP). They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.
09Method
Method, sources and how to cite
What this topic does not measure
Passport strength and freedom of movement for people are not measured with a key, because the data behind passport rankings is not licensed for reuse here. Trade as a share of the economy, remittance costs and student mobility are published here as context.
How the Mobility & Trade standing is decided
A standing is this site’s ordering, named with its edition — never a publisher’s rank. 4 key statistics vote, one vote each; every country’s published value becomes a place within that key’s own field, the places are averaged, and the average is never published. A country needs 2 of the 4 keys to be placed.
The mobility & trade method, step by stepHow every standing on this site is built
The key statistics and their licences
- Liner Shipping Connectivity Index — UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), CC BY 3.0 IGO
- Container Import Dwell Time — World Bank Group, CC BY 4.0
- Logistics Performance Index — World Bank Group, CC BY 4.0
- ICT Goods Exports — UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), CC BY 3.0 IGO
The other 23 statistics on this page come from 7 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.
The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photographs
Japan’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Japan (banner) — JurriaanH, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Singapore — Khairul Nizam ., CC BY 2.0
- Macau — Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Hong Kong — Base64 and Derivative work by Globe-trotter, CC BY-SA 3.0
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). Japan: Mobility & Trade — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/japan/mobility