Wholesale trade sales revenue in Japan 2013-2022

In 2022, the total sales of Japan’s wholesale trade sector reached over 430 trillion Japanese yen. This represented second year within the last decade in which sales exceeded 400 trillion yen.
While the largest wholesale segments of durable goods were machinery and equipment, food and beverages represented the largest segment for non-durable goods.

Business structure

The Japanese wholesale sector is characterized by a large number of small-sized companies with a capital investment of less than ten million Japanese yen. However, while small-sized companies and individual proprietorships are diversifying the competition, the sector is dominated by a small number of large-scale trading companies. General trading companies, so-called sôgô shôsha, are among the largest trading companies in Japan. They operate in the wholesale sector with a broad product and service range, ranging from food products to aircraft parts.

Wholesale distribution

While non-food products are commonly distributed directly from wholesalers to intermediaries or retailers in Japan, wholesale markets represent a major hub for the distribution of food products. In particular, high-value goods such as bluefin tuna and melons are sold or auctioned off at major central markets, with the Toyosu Market being among the largest.