Japan’s textile and apparel trade sector demonstrated robust performance throughout the first half of 2026. According to provisional data released by Japan’s Ministry of Finance, the country's imports of apparel and accessories rose by 6.0 percent year-on-year to 1,913,156 million yen, or approximately $11.728 billion.

This figure highlights resilient consumer demand and continued strength in textile-related trade despite prevailing global economic uncertainties. Overall, apparel and accessories accounted for 3.1 percent of the nation's total imports, which reached 61,674,954 million yen during the January–June 2026 period.

In addition to finished garments, imports of textile yarns and fabrics grew at an even faster pace, climbing 8.1 percent to 615,331 million yen (approximately $3.772 billion). On the export front, outbound shipments of textile yarns and fabrics increased by 3.7 percent year-on-year to 428,641 million yen ($2.627 billion).

Even stronger growth was recorded in textile machinery exports, which surged 11.7 percent to 160,129 million yen, or roughly $981.63 million. This positive momentum became particularly pronounced in June 2026 alone, where apparel imports surged by 16.4 percent year-on-year to 301,077 million yen ($1.845 billion), signaling a sharp recovery and strong domestic consumer purchasing power during the mid-year period.