In 2025, Mexico and Japan commemorate the 29th anniversary of the entry into force of the Agreement to Avoid Double Taxation and Prevent Fiscal Evasion. The agreement was signed on April 9, 1996, and entered into force on November 6 of the same year.
According to information from Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, diplomatic relations between the two countries officially began in 1888 with the signing of the Treaty of Friendship, Commerce, and Navigation, which was Japan’s first “equal” treaty with a Western nation. Since then, several agreements have been concluded in areas such as culture, trade, tourism, and technological cooperation. In 1996, the aforementioned tax agreement was signed, followed in 2005 by an Economic Partnership Agreement that regulates trade in goods and services, investment, and cooperation between the parties.
Bilateral trade between Mexico and Japan represents an important share of Mexico’s overall exchange with the Asia-Pacific region. Mexican exports to Japan increased from USD 3 billion in 2015 to USD 4.2 billion in 2024, accounting for 18.4% of Mexico’s total trade with the Asia Pacific region on average over 2020–2024. Meanwhile, imports rose from USD 17.3 billion to USD 19.2 billion, representing 9.2% of the total during the same period.
