Nittsu Research Institute and Consulting (NRIC), a subsidiary of Nippon Express Japan's largest international freight forwarder, projects volume will fall to 5.19 million TEU after a 9.2 per cent growth in the 2010 fiscal year, which saw only limited impact from the earthquake and tsunami in March.

NRIC said containerised cargo exports from nine major Japanese ports should re-gain growth in fiscal 2012, reported Newark's Journal of Commerce, reflecting a sharp decline in the first half of fiscal 2011 due to supply chain disruptions caused by the March twin natural disasters.

But the pace of growth in fiscal 2012 will be a mild 3.8 per cent due to a further slowdown in the global economy and the continued strength of the Japanese currency, which makes Japanese products more expensive abroad, NRIC said.

According to its report, containerised cargo imports at the nine major Japanese ports are projected to rise 5.9 per cent in fiscal 2011, to 7.42 million TEU after increasing 12.6 per cent year on year. The pace of growth is projected to further slow to 4.3 per cent in fiscal 2012.

The nine ports, which include the Tokyo, Yokohama, Nagoya, Osaka and Kobe account for 90 per cent of Japan's total containerised cargo trade.

According to NRIC's report, air cargo exports are projected to tumble 7.9 per cent in fiscal 2011 to 1.04 million tonnes, after soaring 14.3 per cent in fiscal 2010. Air cargo exports are projected to post paltry growth of 0.2 per cent in fiscal 2012.

Air cargo imports are projected to fall 1.4 per cent in fiscal 2011 to 1.21 million tonnes after surging 14.5 per cent in fiscal 2010. Air cargo imports are expected to increase 1.7 per cent in fiscal 2012.