Hong Kong

July 25, 2022

Bilateral Relations

1. Political Relationship

Hong Kong is an extremely important partner for Japan with which Japan maintains close economic ties and people-to-people exchanges. Japan attaches great importance to upholding a free and open system and ensuring democratic and stable development under the "One Country, Two Systems" framework of Hong Kong.

2. Economic Relations

(1) Japan-Hong Kong Trade (Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong 2021)

Trade figures (2021)
  • Imports from Japan: HK$270billion (US$334.8 billion)
  • Exports to Japan: HK$118 billion (US$15.3 billion)
Major items (Trade and Industry Department, Hong Kong 2020)
  • Exports (re-exports) to Japan : (a) Telecommunications and audio equipment (b) Electronic equipment (c) Other equipment
  • Imports from Japan : (a) Electronic equipment (b) Telecommunications and audio equipment (c) Office equipment

(2) Direct investment from Japan (2021)

HK$318 billion (US＄40.9 billion) (Stock)

3. Number of Japanese residents

24,097 people (As of October 1, 2021, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bureau of Consular Affairs Statistics)

4. Number of residents from Hong Kong in Japan

Not available.

5. Dignitaries visit (Ministerial level, etc. All titles are as of.) (Since 1994)

(1) From Japan to Hong Kong
YearName
February 1994Former Prime Minister TAKESHITA
May 1994Former Prime Minister KAIFU
May 1996Former Prime Minister HATA
July 1996Minister of Justice NAGAO
August 1996Minister for Foreign Affairs IKEDA
July 1997Minister of Foreign Affairs IKEDA, Former Prime Minister KAIFU, Former Prime Minister HATA, Former Prime Minister MURAYAMA
September 1997Minister of Finance MITSUZUKA
January 1998Minister of Construction KAWARA
November 1998President of the House of Councillors SAITO
May 1999Former Prime Minister HATA
July 2000Minister for Foreign Affairs KONO
August 2002Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs MATSUNAMI
August 2003Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare SAKAGUCHI, Minister of State for Financial Services, Minister of State for Economic and Fiscal Policy TAKENAKA
November 2004Former Prime Minister KAIFU
January 2005Minister of Finance TANIGAKI
March 2005Former Prime Minister MORI
April 2005Minister of State for Economic and Fiscal Policy, Minister of State for Privatization of the Postal Services TAKENAKA
December 2005Minister for Foreign Affairs ASO, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry NIKAI, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries NAKAGAWA (Attended the WTO Ministerial Conference)
May 2006Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications TAKENAKA
May 2006Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism KITAGAWA
January 2007Former Prime Minister NAKASONE
June 2007Chief Justice of the Supreme Court SHIMADA
February 2009State Minister for Foreign Affairs HASHIMOTO
March 2012Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries KANO
August 2012Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries GUNJI
March 2013Former Prime Minister MORI
August 2014Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries HAYASHI
August 2015Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries HAYASHI
August 2016Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries YAMAMOTO
August 2017Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries SAITO
March 2018Minister for Foreign Affairs KONO
August 2018Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries SAITO
January 2019Minister of Justice YAMASHITA
May 2019Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism ISHI
August 2019Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries YOSHIKAWA
(2) From Hong Kong to Japan
YearName
March 1993Governor Christopher PATTEN
May 1993Financial Services and Economic Analysis Secretary Michael CARTLAND
June 1993Financial Secretary Hamish MACLEOD
July 1993Secretary for Trade and Industry Brian CHAU
March 1994Director General of Industry Denise YUE
October 1994Political Adviser to the Governor of Hong Kong Bob PEIRCE
December 1994Governor Christopher PATTEN
September 1995Chief Secretary Anson CHAN
November 1995Financial Secretary Donald TSANG
November 1996Chief Secretary Anson CHAN
December 1996Governor Christopher PATTEN
May 1997 Financial Secretary Donald TSANG
October 1997Chief Executive TUNG Chee-hwa
June 1998Chief Secretary for Administration Anson CHAN
February 1999Financial Secretary Donald TSANG
October 2000Chief Secretary for Administration Anson CHAN
March 2001Chief Executive TUNG Chee-hwa
November 2002Chief Secretary for Administration Donald TSANG
August 2003Financial Secretary Henry TANG
February 2004Chief Secretary for Administration Donald TSANG
January 2005Financial Secretary Henry TANG
October 2008Convenor of the Non-official Members of the Executive Council LEUNG Chun-ying
February 2009Chief Executive Donald TSANG
November 2010Chief Executive Donald TSANG
May 2012Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Gregory SO
October 2012Financial Secretary John TSANG
September 2013Secretary for Transport and Housing Anthony CHEUNG
January 2015Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Gregory SO
March 2015Legislative Council President Jasper TSANG
September 2016Secretary for the Environment WONG Kam-sing
May 2017Financial Secretary Paul CHAN
October 2018Chief Executive Carrie LAM, Secretary for Justice Teresa CHENG, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Edward YAU, Secretary for Innovation and Technology Nicholas W YANG
April 2019Chief Executive Carrie LAM
May 2019Secretary for Home Affairs Lau Kong-wah
August 2019Secretary for Labour and Welfare LAW Chi-kwong
October 2019Chief Executive Carrie LAM

6. Agreement between Japan and Hong Kong

  • Agreement between the Government of Japan and the Government of the Hong Kong for Air Services (entered into force on JUNE 18, 1997)
  • Agreement between the Government of Japan and the Government of the Hong Kong for the Promotion and Protection of Investment (entered into force on JUNE 18, 1997)
  • Japan-Hong Kong Mutual Assistance Agreement on Criminal Matters (entered into force on September 24, 2009)
  • Agreement between the Government of Japan and the Government of the Hong Kong for Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income (entered into force on August 14, 2011)
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