Japan Posts First Trade Surplus in Two Months in February, Exports to U.S. Fall for Third Straight Month

TOKYO, The Financial News – Japan recorded a trade surplus of 57.2 billion yen (about 535.1 billion won) in February this year. It was the country’s first surplus in two months.
According to the Ministry of Finance Japan’s Preliminary February Trade Statistics released on the 18th, the trade balance (exports minus imports) showed a surplus of 57.2 billion yen in February. This represented an 89.8% decrease from the same month a year earlier.
Exports rose 4.2% from a year earlier to 9.5715 trillion yen, while imports climbed 10.2% to 9.5143 trillion yen. Imports of crude oil and related petroleum products fell 4.2% to 756.3 billion yen.
By country and region, exports to the United States came to 1.7528 trillion yen, down 8.0% from the same month last year. It was the third consecutive month of decline.
Automobile exports dropped 14.8% to 470.6 billion yen.
sjmary@fnnews.com Seo Hye-jin Reporter