It is one of major challenges in community ecology to understand how species functional differences in traits associate with their demographic performance. We examined how diverse coexisting species differ in their traits and how such differences associate with demographic properties across 44 co-existing woody species in an evergreen broad-leaves forest in Yakushima Island. The result of a principal component analysis using seven species traits of leaf and wood showed that the first and second dimensions were associated with leaf and wood economics, respectively. In the 4-ha dynamics plot, relative growth rates (RGR) and survival rates significantly differed at four census periods from 1996 to 2013. Higher RGR was found at the census period with multiple typhoon disturbance. Survival rates was higher at the census with less typhoon disturbance. Species with acquisitive traits along wood economics spectrum had higher RGR at the census with multiple typhoon disturbance. Species with conservative traits along leaf economics spectrum had better survival rates. In conclusion, species differences along the leaf and wood economic spectra play important roles in the demographic performance, but the strength and direction of traits-performance associations vary depending on disturbance intensity.