Trade and gender: The Canada-Japan story

The amount of 2-way merchandise trade between Canada and Japan fell by 2.3% in 2019, as compared to 2018—the last full year before preferential tariff treatment under CPTPP was applicable. In 2020, with the onset of COVID-19, merchandise trade fell by an additional 10.9% compared to 2019.

In 2020, Canada exported $12,392 million in goods to Japan and imported $13,535 million worth of goods.

In Canada, 70,071 jobs were directly or indirectly supported by merchandise exports to Japan in 2019, 22,265 of which were occupied by women.

Top 5 Industries: Number of direct and indirect jobs occupied by women that are supported by goods exports to Japan

• Crop and animal production: 4,080 jobs
• Food manufacturing: 2,168 jobs
• Wholesale trade: 1,988 jobs
• Transportation and warehousing: 1,910 jobs
• Finance and insurance: 1,604 jobs

The number of Canadian businesses exporting goods to Japan in 2020 was 2,457, while the number of Canadian businesses importing goods from Japan was 3,191.

Women-owned and equally-owned businesses in 2017:

• Export value: 22.8%
• Import value: 16.8%
• Exporters: 21.0%
• Importers: 23.2%

Men-owned businesses in 2017:

• Export value: 77.2%
• Import value: 83.2%
• Exporters: 79.0%
• Importers: 76.8%

Women-owned and equally-owned Canadian businesses make up a larger portion of importers than exporters by number of importers, but a smaller portion of imports than exports by value.

Notes:

• Women-, men- and equally-owned businesses refer to Canadian-controlled private corporations.
• The reported fractions are those for which data on gender ownership is available.

Sources: Statistics Canada, Canadian Employer-Employee Dynamics Database, Trade by Exporter Characteristics, Trade by Importer Characteristics and Canadian Merchandise Trade Database.