In the fiscal year of 2004 (April 2004-March 2005), the trade volume between Japan and China (Hong Kong SAR included) reached 22.71 trillion yen (about US$200 billion), while that between Japan and the United States was 20.63 trillion yen, according to Japanese Ministry of Finance's trade statistics published on April 21. China has become Japan's largest trading partner.

Japan's trade with China has taken up 20.3 percent of its country's total, while that with the United States 18.4 percent.

In the fiscal year of 2004, Japan's export to and import from China's mainland stood at 808.7 billion yen and 10.63 trillion yen, an increase of 16.1 percent and 17.9 percent respectively from the previous year.

Japan's total export was 61.72 trillion yen, a year-on-year increase of 10.1 percent; import 50.37 trillion yen, up 12.3 percent -- a surplus of 11.35 trillion yen, an increase of 17.9 percent over the previous year.

Statistics show continued rapid growth of foreign export is one of the major driving forces of Japan's economic resurgence.

By People's Daily Online