Japan booked a trade surplus of 481.75 billion yen (4.3 billion U.S. dollars) in April, owing to ongoing growth in exports to Asia, the Finance Ministry said in a preliminary report Monday.
According to the ministry, exports were up 7.5 percent year on year in the recording period to 6.33 trillion yen and imports gained 15.1 percent to 5.88 trillion yen.
The readings, which were in line with median economists' forecasts and for exports in particular, marked the fifth consecutive month of increase which is the longest winning streak since 2006, the official figures showed.
Trade with China was robust, with Japan logging a deficit for a second straight month at 243.04 billion yen. Exports to China leapt 14.8 percent to 1.19 trillion yen, while imports in the same period grew 7.5 percent to 1.43 trillion yen. As for trade with the United States, the surplus stood at 586.74 billion yen, which comprised of exports gaining 2.6 percent to 1.23 trillion yen and imports jumping 9.8 percent at 645.49 billion yen in the recording period.
Japan logged a 61.07 billion yen trade surplus with the European Union, the ministry's data also showed, with exports rising 2.2 percent to 717.83 billion yen, while imports grew 5.4 percent to 656.76 billion yen, in April.
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