United States, United Kingdom and Japanese shares in the Australian import market

Abstract

This study examines changes in the share of the United States, the United Kingdom and Japan respectively, in the Australian import TIillrket. Attention is confined to trade in manufactured goods/which accounts for by far the greater part of Australia's imports from all three countries. The review period runs from 1963 to 1969. In 1963 Australia's imports had recovered to their normal level after the 1961 recession. The final year, 1969, was the latest year for which data were available when this study commenced . In 1963, 37 per cent of Australia's imports of manufactures came from the United Kingdom, 24 per cent from the United States and 8 per cent from Japan. By 1969 the United Kingdom's share had fallen to 26 per cent, and the United States' and Japan's share had risen to 27 per cent and 15 per cent resp~ctive1y. Note that the three countries together supplied almost exactly the same proportion of Australia's imports of manufactures in 1963 and 1969 (69 per cent ia 1963 and 68 per cent in 1969).