With the trajectory of global trade being called into question by protectionism, supply chain disruptions and war, this four-part series is focused on Alberta’s international exports.

Today’s Owl asks three key questions about our exports to Japan: How big of a customer is it? Have our exports to Japan been going up or down? What are the main things we sell to Japan?

Japan is the world’s third largest economy and it is also Alberta’s third largest customer. Our merchandise exports to Japan in 2021 came to $2.5 billion or 1.8% of the total. If we exclude the US, Japan accounted for 16.0% of our total exports last year.

Alberta’s exports to Japan reached a record $2.5 billion last year and were 70.7% ($1.0 billion) higher than in 2010.

As is the case with China, our main export to Japan is agricultural products such as canola, wheat, pork and beef. Together, agri-food exports to Japan last year came to $1.5 billion or 57.8% of the total. Propane, coal, lumber and wood pulp were also big sellers.

Answer to the previous trivia question: At over 24 million people, Shanghai is China’s largest city.

Today’s trivia question: How many of the nearly 7,000 islands that make up Japan are inhabited?