Japan Current Account

Latest figures

The latest release for AUG, published on 7 October 2026, came in at ¥4062B.

See it in the economic calendar →

Why it matters

A current-account deficit must be financed by foreign capital, which makes a currency vulnerable when investors turn cautious; a surplus country lends to the world. Capital-flow data show whether foreigners are buying the country's bonds and shares. Tourism and remittances are large sources of foreign currency for some economies.

How it is calculated

The balance of payments records every transaction with non-residents: goods, services, income, transfers (current account) and investment (financial account); the two mirror each other.

Current account = trade balance + primary income + secondary income
Current account + capital account + financial account ≈ 0

What changes mean

• A deficit above about 4–5% of GDP is often seen as a risk for emerging-market currencies.
• Large foreign purchases of local bonds support the currency.

A short history

Balance-of-payments accounting was standardised by the International Monetary Fund after 1945; current-account crises shaped events from the 1990s emerging-market crises to the euro debt crisis.

Questions