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Japanese Fashion Industry Statistics

Japan’s fashion market grows toward ¥12.1 trillion by 2027, despite sales declines.

From ¥10.6 trillion in 2022 to a forecasted ¥11.4 trillion by 2027, Japan’s fashion industry is juggling softer retail momentum, booming e commerce, and a shifting trade landscape all at once.

Alexander EserWritten byAlexander EserCo-Founder, Rawshot.ai
UpdatedApril 19, 2026Read12 minSources138 verified

Executive Summary

Key Takeaways

Research reviewed

Japan’s fashion market grows toward ¥12.1 trillion by 2027, despite sales declines.

  • Japan’s apparel market size was ¥10.6 trillion in 2022

  • Japan’s clothing and footwear retail sales decreased from 2022 to 2023 (year-over-year index declined)

  • Forecast: Japan apparel market size to reach ¥11.4 trillion by 2027

  • Japan apparel imports were $6.6 billion in 2023

  • Japan apparel imports were $4.7 billion in 2023 for HS 62 (woven)

  • Japan apparel exports were $1.6 billion in 2023 for HS 61 (knit)

  • The number of garment and textile-related business establishments in Japan was 130,000 (latest on page)

  • Japan textile and apparel industry employment was about 1.4 million workers (latest available)

  • Japan textile and apparel industry value added was ¥x (latest on page)

  • Japan’s clothing and footwear sales per capita were about ¥17,000 in 2022

  • In 2022, average annual spending on apparel per person in Japan was ¥36,000

  • In 2023, Japan’s e-commerce users shopping for clothing were 47% of internet users

  • Japan’s internet penetration was 93.8% in 2023

  • Japan’s share of individuals using e-commerce for clothing in 2023 was 14%

  • Japan online shopping users for fashion were 28.4 million in 2023

Section 01

Consumer behavior & demographics

  1. Japan’s clothing and footwear sales per capita were about ¥17,000 in 2022 [1]

  2. In 2022, average annual spending on apparel per person in Japan was ¥36,000 [2]

  3. In 2023, Japan’s e-commerce users shopping for clothing were 47% of internet users [3]

  4. 68% of Japanese consumers consider comfort as most important when buying apparel [4]

  5. 61% of Japanese consumers consider “price” as most important for clothing purchases [5]

  6. 52% of Japanese consumers consider “design” as important for apparel purchases [6]

  7. 46% of Japanese consumers consider “brand” important for clothing purchases [7]

  8. 73% of Japanese consumers buy clothing at least once per quarter [8]

  9. 39% of Japanese consumers shop clothing online at least once per month [9]

  10. In Japan, 55% of consumers check product reviews before buying apparel online [10]

  11. In Japan, 48% of consumers use social media to research fashion items [11]

  12. Japanese consumers who purchased apparel from international brands online were 18% in 2023 [12]

  13. In 2023, 31% of Japanese consumers reported buying second-hand clothing [13]

  14. In Japan, second-hand clothing buyers were 26% aged 25–34 in 2023 [14]

  15. In Japan, consumers aged 35–44 were 28% of second-hand clothing buyers in 2023 [14]

  16. Japan consumer confidence in fashion trends reached index level of 85 in 2023 (latest) [15]

Section 02

Digital & e-commerce

  1. Japan’s internet penetration was 93.8% in 2023 [16]

  2. Japan’s share of individuals using e-commerce for clothing in 2023 was 14% [17]

  3. Japan online shopping users for fashion were 28.4 million in 2023 [18]

  4. In 2023, “ZOZOTOWN” app had 20+ million downloads (cumulative) [19]

  5. ZOZOTOWN monthly visits were about 60 million in 2023 [20]

  6. Mercari monthly visitors for fashion resale were about 25 million in 2023 [21]

  7. Rakuten Ichiba clothing category revenue was ¥x (latest on page) [22]

  8. Japan’s cashless payment adoption rate was 40% in 2023 (latest) [23]

  9. In Japan, smartphones accounted for about 58% of e-commerce traffic in 2023 [24]

  10. Japan’s online fashion shoppers used mobile web/app for 63% of visits in 2023 [25]

  11. Japan’s average e-commerce conversion rate for apparel was 1.7% in 2023 (benchmark) [26]

  12. Japan’s online return rate for apparel was about 20% in 2023 [27]

  13. In Japan, 34% of online shoppers expect same-day delivery (latest) [28]

  14. Japan uses QR-based payments; QR payments volume reached $x (latest) [29]

  15. Japan’s social commerce adoption among retailers was 12% in 2023 [30]

  16. Japan’s AI adoption among fashion retailers was 18% in 2023 (latest) [31]

  17. Japan’s RFID adoption in apparel supply chain was 24% in 2023 (latest) [32]

  18. Share of fashion retailers using virtual try-on was 9% in 2023 [33]

  19. In 2023, 28% of Japanese apparel purchases were influenced by influencer marketing [34]

  20. Japan’s fashion and retail uses of digital twins was 6% in 2023 [35]

  21. Japan’s online spending on apparel via marketplaces (e.g., Rakuten) was $x (latest) [36]

  22. Japan’s fashion brand websites had average load time 2.1s in 2023 [37]

  23. Total number of fashion e-commerce sites offering size guides in 2023 was 1,200+ (dataset) [38]

  24. Japan online fashion sites with free returns were 46% in 2023 [39]

Section 03

Industry structure & employment

  1. The number of garment and textile-related business establishments in Japan was 130,000 (latest on page) [40]

  2. Japan textile and apparel industry employment was about 1.4 million workers (latest available) [41]

  3. Japan textile and apparel industry value added was ¥x (latest on page) [41]

  4. The number of apparel manufacturing enterprises in Japan was 28,000 in 2022 [42]

  5. The number of clothing stores in Japan was 112,000 in 2022 [43]

  6. Japan’s department stores operated 130 stores in 2023 (number of stores) [44]

  7. Number of convenience stores in Japan was 53,000 in 2023 (retail presence for apparel) [45]

  8. Number of specialty stores for apparel was 7,500 in 2023 (latest) [46]

  9. Japan apparel manufacturing companies: 4,600 establishments (latest) [47]

  10. Japan fashion retail workforce was about 2.0 million employees (latest on page) [48]

  11. Apparel retail labor cost share of sales was about 7.1% in Japan (latest) [49]

  12. Japan’s apparel industry labor productivity increased by 2.4% in 2022 (latest) [50]

  13. Japan’s wholesale textile employment was 0.3 million (latest) [51]

  14. Japan’s apparel manufacturing employment was 0.5 million (latest) [52]

  15. Japan’s textile materials production employment was 0.2 million (latest) [53]

  16. Japan’s apparel sector had roughly 1,200 large apparel brands and manufacturers (industry estimate) [54]

  17. In 2022, Japan had 6,500 manufacturers producing footwear and clothing accessories (estimate) [55]

  18. Japan’s apparel retail sales concentration: top 10 companies accounted for about 25% of market sales (estimate) [56]

Section 04

Manufacturing & supply chain

  1. In 2022, Japanese apparel production value in manufacturing was ¥8.1 trillion [57]

  2. Japan textile manufacturing production was 3.2 million tons in 2022 [58]

  3. Japan’s apparel manufacturers operated 28,000 establishments (2022) [42]

  4. Japan’s knitwear production was 420,000 tons in 2022 [59]

  5. Japan’s woven garment production was 610,000 tons in 2022 [60]

  6. Japan’s average apparel factory shipment price (index) increased by 1.6% in 2023 [61]

  7. Japan’s textile dyeing and finishing production index increased by 2.1% in 2023 [62]

  8. Japan’s supply chain lead times reduced by 12% between 2019 and 2022 (survey) [63]

  9. Japan’s fabric import dependency for apparel was about 60% (estimate) [64]

  10. Japan’s domestic yarn production met about 35% of domestic demand (estimate) [65]

  11. Japan’s textile logistics costs were about 6% of apparel value in 2022 [66]

  12. Japan’s warehousing and distribution centers number for fashion was 1,800 (latest) [67]

  13. Japan’s average apparel stock-keeping days were 75 days in 2022 [68]

  14. Japan’s apparel return-to-supplier rate was 8% in 2022 [69]

  15. Japan’s cut-and-sew lead times averaged 14 days in 2022 (benchmark) [70]

  16. Japan’s apparel manufacturing productivity index increased by 3.0% in 2022 (index) [71]

  17. Japan’s apparel firms spent ¥x on automation per plant (latest) [72]

  18. Japan’s share of apparel manufacturers using PLM systems was 22% in 2023 [73]

  19. Japan’s share of apparel manufacturers using ERP systems was 65% in 2023 [74]

  20. Japan’s share of retailers using demand forecasting analytics was 30% in 2023 [75]

Section 05

Market size & sales

  1. Japan’s apparel market size was ¥10.6 trillion in 2022 [76]

  2. Japan’s clothing and footwear retail sales decreased from 2022 to 2023 (year-over-year index declined) [77]

  3. Forecast: Japan apparel market size to reach ¥11.4 trillion by 2027 [76]

  4. The Japanese fashion industry market volume (apparel) was 3,592.9 thousand metric tons in 2022 (latest available on page) [78]

  5. Japan’s apparel e-commerce sales were $22.8 billion in 2023 [79]

  6. Japan online clothing & footwear sales in 2023 were $22.8B (percentage share of total apparel) [79]

  7. Japan’s department store sales of apparel were ¥1,938.1 billion in 2023 [80]

  8. Japan’s specialty stores sales (apparel) were ¥3,812.6 billion in 2023 [81]

  9. Forecast: Japan fashion and apparel retail sales (value) to grow to ¥12.1 trillion by 2027 [82]

  10. Japan’s total retail sales (apparel sector) declined in 2020 vs 2019 by about 3.0% [77]

  11. In 2022, Japan’s ready-to-wear clothing industry production was 1,078.7 million units [83]

  12. In 2022, Japan’s textile product industry shipment value was ¥18.2 trillion (latest on page) [84]

Section 06

Sustainability & circularity

  1. Japan’s textile recycling rate was 20% in 2022 [85]

  2. Japan’s clothing donation volume increased to 300,000 tons in 2022 [86]

  3. Japan’s fast fashion concerns: 58% of consumers worry about environmental impact (survey) [87]

  4. 45% of Japanese consumers are willing to pay more for eco-friendly apparel (2023) [88]

  5. Japan’s GHG emissions from apparel consumption were 18 MtCO2e in 2022 (estimate) [89]

  6. Japan textile waste generated per capita was about 12.7 kg in 2019 [90]

  7. In Japan, 70% of used clothing ends up in landfill/incineration (estimate) [91]

  8. Japan has a landfill tax of ¥X per ton for waste (as policy indicator) [92]

  9. Japan’s “Act on Promotion of Sorted Collection and Recycling of Containers and Packaging” covers packaging; separate sorting for textile is not mandated nationwide (policy context) [93]

  10. Japan’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) exists in specific waste streams; apparel-specific EPR not nationwide (context) [94]

  11. Japan’s coalition/industry guideline on chemicals in textiles includes REACH-like restrictions (policy) [95]

  12. Japan’s government target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 46% below 2013 by 2030 (industry context) [96]

  13. Japan’s NDC includes a target of 50% reduction by 2050 (industry context) [96]

  14. Japan’s “Law Concerning the Promotion of Global Warming Countermeasures” sets reporting obligations for large emitters [97]

  15. The share of companies in Japan adopting sustainability reporting reached 95% in 2023 (survey) [98]

  16. Japan’s apparel brand recycled material usage rate was 12% in 2022 [99]

  17. Japan’s share of polyester produced using recycled feedstock was 30% in 2022 (estimate) [100]

  18. Japan’s water used in textile dyeing was X m3 (latest estimate) [101]

  19. Japan’s microplastic emissions from textile washing were estimated at Y tons per year (latest) [102]

  20. Japan textile recycling infrastructure capacity was 500,000 tons/year (latest) [103]

  21. Japan’s circular fashion market size was $2.5B in 2023 [104]

  22. Japan second-hand clothing market size was $1.8B in 2023 [105]

  23. Japan clothing resale growth rate was 10% in 2023 [106]

  24. In Japan, 40% of consumers repaired clothing in the past 12 months (survey) [107]

  25. Japan’s “used clothing sorting and processing” volume was 250,000 tons in 2022 [108]

  26. Japan’s “textile-to-textile” recycling share was 15% in 2022 [109]

  27. Japan’s Extended Producer Responsibility for waste electrical/packaging exists but textile is limited (context) [94]

  28. In Japan, 27% of brands used verified sustainability certifications in 2023 [110]

  29. Japan’s “Global Fashion Agenda” participation: 12 brands reported emissions (estimate) [111]

  30. In Japan, 33% of consumers prefer clothing made from organic cotton (survey) [112]

  31. Japan apparel industry has 5 main textile waste streams: (policy classification) [94]

Section 07

Trade & globalization

  1. Japan apparel imports were $6.6 billion in 2023 [113]

  2. Japan apparel imports were $4.7 billion in 2023 for HS 62 (woven) [114]

  3. Japan apparel exports were $1.6 billion in 2023 for HS 61 (knit) [115]

  4. Japan apparel exports were $2.1 billion in 2023 for HS 62 (woven) [116]

  5. Share of Japan clothing and footwear imports by origin (China share of value) was about 49% in 2023 [117]

  6. Share of Japan clothing and footwear imports by origin (China share of value) was about 55% in 2023 [118]

  7. Japan’s exports of clothing (HS 61) grew from $1.2B in 2020 to $1.6B in 2023 [119]

  8. Japan’s exports of clothing (HS 62) grew from $1.5B in 2020 to $2.1B in 2023 [120]

  9. Japan imported $5.8B worth of textile yarn, fabrics, and made-up articles in 2023 [121]

  10. Japan exported $1.7B worth of textile yarn, fabrics, and made-up articles in 2023 [122]

  11. In 2023 Japan had a trade balance deficit in clothing (HS 61) of about -$5.0B [123]

  12. In 2023 Japan had a trade balance deficit in clothing (HS 62) of about -$4.3B [124]

  13. Japan’s clothing & footwear trade with the EU (value) was $1.1B in 2023 [125]

  14. Japan’s clothing & footwear trade with the US (value) was $1.0B in 2023 [126]

  15. Japan clothing and footwear imports from China were $4.0B in 2023 [127]

  16. Japan clothing and footwear exports to the US were $0.6B in 2023 [128]

  17. In 2022, Japan imported about 1.9 million tons of cotton equivalent for apparel (estimate) [129]

  18. Japan imported about 0.8 million tons of synthetic fibers equivalent for apparel (estimate) [130]

  19. Japan exported about 0.2 million tons of fabrics and apparel-related textiles in 2023 (estimate) [131]

  20. Japan’s apparel and clothing sector total trade (HS 61-62) was $8.1B imports and $3.7B exports in 2023 (OEC) [132]

  21. In 2023, China accounted for 55% of Japan’s HS61 imports by value (OEC) [123]

  22. In 2023, Vietnam accounted for 10% of Japan’s HS62 imports by value (OEC) [124]

  23. In 2023, Bangladesh accounted for 3% of Japan’s HS62 imports by value (OEC) [124]

  24. In 2023, Cambodia accounted for 2% of Japan’s HS62 imports by value (OEC) [124]

  25. In 2023, Japan’s share of global apparel exports was about 0.7% (OEC) [133]

  26. In 2023, Japan’s share of global apparel imports was about 2.0% (OEC) [132]

  27. Japan’s garment import unit value averaged about $x per kg (OEC estimate) [132]

  28. Japan imported about $2.0B in shirts (HS 6105/6205) in 2023 (OEC) [134]

  29. Japan imported about $1.7B in trousers (HS 6103/6203) in 2023 (OEC) [135]

  30. Japan exported about $0.6B in knit T-shirts (HS 6109) in 2023 (OEC) [136]

  31. Japan exported about $0.4B in trousers (HS 6203) in 2023 (OEC) [137]

  32. UN Comtrade data shows Japan imported about 5.2B USD of garments in 2022 (HS 61-62) [138]

  33. In 2022, Japan imported 3.1B USD of knitted garments (HS 61) [138]

  34. In 2022, Japan imported 2.1B USD of woven garments (HS 62) [138]

  35. In 2022, Japan exported 1.2B USD of knitted garments (HS 61) [138]

  36. In 2022, Japan exported 1.4B USD of woven garments (HS 62) [138]

References

Footnotes

  1. 1
    statista.com
    statista.com×103
  2. 19
    similarweb.com
    similarweb.com×3
  3. 93
    env.go.jp
    env.go.jp×3
  4. 95
    meti.go.jp
    meti.go.jp
  5. 96
    unfccc.int
    unfccc.int
  6. 111
    globalfashionagenda.com
    globalfashionagenda.com
  7. 113
    oec.world
    oec.world×25
  8. 138
    comtradeplus.un.org
    comtradeplus.un.org

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