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Japan Trade Surplus Below Market Estimates
Japan posted a trade surplus of JPY 383.18 billion in June 2021, reversing from a deficit of JPY 290.95 billion in the same a year earlier and compared with market consensus of JPY 460 billion. Exports jumped 48.6 percent year-on-year to JPY 7,221 billion while imports rose at a softer 32.7 percent to JPY 6,838 billion. Considering the first six months of the year, the country registered a trade gap of JPY 613.51 billion, down sharply from a deficit of JPY 1,486 billion in the same period of 2020.
Published on 2021-07-21

Japan Trade Gap Narrows Less than Estimated
Japan's trade deficit decreased sharply to JPY 187.1 billion in May 2021 from a JPY 856.7 billion in the same month a year earlier but missing market consensus of a gap of JPY 91.2 billion. Exports jumped 49.6 percent year-on-year to JPY 6,261 billion while imports rose at a softer 27.9 percent to JPY 6,448 billion. Considering the first five months of the year, the trade gap narrowed sharply to JPY 996.69 billion from JPY 1,195 billion in the same period of 2020.
Published on 2021-06-16

Japan Trade Surplus Beats Estimates
Japan posted a trade surplus of JPY 255.3 billion in April 2021, reversing from a deficit of JPY 936.9 billion in the same month a year earlier and well above market consensus of a surplus of JPY 140 billion. Exports jumped 38 percent yoy to JPY 7,181 billion while imports rose at a softer 12.8 percent to a 27-month high of JPY 6,925 billion. Considering the first four months of the year the trade surplus was at JPY 809.54 billion, swinging from a gap of JPY 1,138 billion.
Published on 2021-05-20

Japan Trade Surplus Beats Estimates
Japan's trade surplus soared to JPY 663.72 billion in March 2021 from JPY 7.49 billion in the same month a year earlier and easily exceeding market expectations of a JPY 490 billion surplus. This was the largest trade surplus since December last year, as exports rose more than imports. Exports jumped 16.1 percent year-on-year to a near three-year high of JPY 7.38 billion while imports grew by 5.7 percent to a 14-month high of JPY 6.71 billion. Considering the first three months of the year, the trade surplus was at JPY 554.22 billion, reversing from a deficit of JPY 201.01 billion in the same period of 2020.
Published on 2021-04-18

Japan Trade Surplus Narrows Sharply
Japan's trade surplus narrowed to JPY 217.4 billion in February of 2021 from JPY 1,106.6 billion in the same month a year earlier and against market expectations of a JPY 420 billion surplus. Exports dropped 4.5 percent to JPY 6.04 trillion, dragged by lower sales to the US and Hong Kong. Meantime, imports climbed 11.8 percent to JPY 5.82 trillion, nudged by purchases from China.
Published on 2021-03-16

Japan Trade Deficit Narrows Sharply in January
Japan's trade deficit narrowed to JPY 323.9 billion in January of 2021 from JPY 1,315 billion in the same month a year earlier and compared to market expectations of a JPY 600 billion gap. Exports jumped 6.4 percent to JPY 5.78 trillion, as shipments increased to China, South Korea, and Taiwan. Meantime, imports dropped 9.5 percent to JPY 6.10 trillion, as purchases went down mainly from China and the US.
Published on 2021-02-16

Japan Trade Balance Swings to Surplus
Japan recorded a trade surplus of JPY 751 billion in December 2020, compared with a JPY 159.1 billion deficit a year earlier and market expectations of a JPY 942.8 billion surplus. Exports increased 2.0 percent, rebounding from 4.2 percent drop and ending a 24-month deficit streak, the longest stretch on record. Meanwhile, imports dropped at a faster 11.6 percent after declining 11.1 percent, compared with market consensus of a 14 percent plunge and marking a 20th consecutive month of decrease. Considering the whole year, Japan posted a trade surplus of JPY 675 billion, narrowing from a JPY 1668 billion shortfall in the same period of 2019.
Published on 2021-01-21

Japan Trade Balance Swings to Surplus
Japan recorded a trade surplus of JPY 366.8 billion in November 2020, compared with a JPY 88.4 billion deficit a year earlier and market expectations of a JPY 530 billion surplus. Exports fell 4.2 percent, defying market consensus of a 0.5 percent increase and marking a 24th straight month of decline, the longest stretch on record. Meanwhile, imports dropped at a faster 11.1 percent, compared with market consensus of a 10.5 percent plunge and marking a 19th consecutive month of decrease. Considering the first eleven months of the year, Japan posted a trade gap of JPY 73 billion, narrowing from a JPY 1509 billion shortfall in the same period of 2019.
Published on 2020-12-16

Japan Trade Surplus Beats Expectations
Japan recorded a trade surplus of JPY 872.9 billion in October of 2020, compared with a JPY 11.2 billion surplus a year earlier and market expectations of a JPY 250 billion surplus. It was the fourth straight month of surplus and the largest since February, as exports fell by 0.2 percent year-on-year to JPY 6.57 billion while imports dropped at a faster 13.3 percent to JPY 5.69 billion. Considering the first ten months of the year, Japan posted a trade gap of JPY 420.5 billion, narrowing from a JPY 1,420.3 billion shortfall in the same period of 2019.
Published on 2020-11-18

Japan September Trade Surplus Below Estimates
Japan recorded a trade surplus of JPY 674.98 billion in September of 2020, compared with a JPY 129.07 billion deficit a year earlier and market expectations of a JPY 989.8 billion surplus. It was the third straight month of surplus and the largest since February, as exports fell by 4.9 percent year-on-year to JPY 6.06 billion while imports dropped at a faster 17.2 percent to JPY 5.38 billion. Considering the first nine months of the year, Japan posted a trade gap of JPY 1,306.25 billion, narrowing from a JPY 1,431.46 billion shortfall in the same period of 2019.
Published on 2020-10-18

Japan Trade Surplus Beats Expectations
Japan recorded a trade surplus of JPY 248.3 billion in August of 2020 compared to a JPY 152.2 billion deficit a year earlier and expectations of a JPY 37.5 billion deficit. It was the second surplus in five months, as imports declined 20.8 percent to JPY 4.98 trillion and exports dropped 14.8 percent to JPY 5.23 trillion, dragged mainly by purchases of the US and Western Europe.
Published on 2020-09-15

Japan Trade Balance Switches to Surplus
Japan recorded a trade surplus of JPY 11.60 JPY billion in July of 2020 compared to a JPY 254 billion deficit a year earlier. It was the first surplus in four months, as imports declined 22.3 percent to JPY 5.36 trillion and exports dropped 19.2 percent to JPY 5.39 trillion, dragged mainly by purchases of the US and Western Europe.
Published on 2020-08-18

Japan Trade Balance Swings to Deficit in June
Japan's trade balance shifted to a deficit of JPY 268.8 billion in June 2020 from a surplus of JPY 588.1 billion in the same month a year earlier and far higher than market expectations of a shortfall of JPY 35.8 billion. Exports tumbled 26.2 percent year-on-year to JPY 4.86 billion while imports plunged 14.4 percent to JPY 5.13 billion. Considering the first six months of the year, trade deficit soared to JPY 2.24 trillion from JPY 895.9 billion in the same period of 2019.
Published on 2020-07-20

Japan Trade Deficit Narrows Modestly in May
Japan's trade deficit narrowed to JPY 833.4 billion in May 2020 from JPY 965.4 billion in the same month a year earlier, compared to market expectations of a JPY 970.8 billion gap. Year-on-year, exports tumbled 28.3 percent to JPY 4.18 trillion, mainly due to lower sales of transport equipment, machinery, manufactured goods, and mineral fuels. Imports shrank 26.2 percent to JPY 5.02 trillion, dragged by lower purchases of vehicles and mineral fuels.
Published on 2020-06-16

Japan Trade Balance Switches to Deficit
Japan's trade balance switched to a deficit of JPY 930 billion in April 2020 from JPY 59 billion surplus in the same month a year earlier, compared to market expectations of a JPY 560 billion gap. Year-on-year, exports tumbled 21.9 percent to JPY 5.20 trillion while imports shrank 7.2 percent to JPY 6.13 trillion.
Published on 2020-05-20

Japan March Trade Surplus Far Below Estimates
Japan's trade surplus plunged to JPY 4.95 billion in March 2020 from JPY 517.29 billion in the same month a year earlier and well below market expectations of a JPY 420 billion surplus. Year-on-year, exports tumbled 11.7 percent to JPY 6.36 trillion while imports shrank 5 percent to JPY 6.35 trillion.
Published on 2020-04-19

Japan Trade Surplus Widens on Plunging Imports
Japan's trade surplus widened to JPY 1.11 trillion in February 2020 from JPY 0.33 trillion in the same month a year earlier and beating market expectations of a JPY 0.92 trillion surplus. It marked the first trade surplus in four months, as exports fell 1 percent year-on-year to JPY 6.32 trillion, whereas imports shrank 14 percent to JPY 5.21 trillion.
Published on 2020-03-17

Japan Trade Gap Narrows in January
Japan's trade deficit narrowed to JPY 1.31 trillion in January 2020 from JPY 1.42 trillion in the same month a year earlier and compared with market expectations of a JPY 1.69 trillion gap. It was the third straight month of trade gap, as exports fell 2.6 percent year-on-year to JPY 5.43 trillion, the lowest in three years mainly due to lower shipments of cars and machines to the US and sales of car parts and electronics to China. Imports shrank 3.6 percent to JPY 6.74 trillion.
Published on 2020-02-19

Japan Trade Gap Widens in December
Japan's trade deficit rose to JPY 152.5 billion in December 2019 from JPY 55.7 billion a year earlier and compared with market expectations of JPY 150 billion. Exports fell 6.3 percent to JPY 6.58 trillion, the thirteenth consecutive month of decline, down from a 7.9 percent tumble in November but more than an expected 4.2 percent slump. Meantime, imports slipped 4.9 percent to JPY 6.73 trillion, after plunging 15.7 percent in November and compared with market forecasts of a 3.4 percent fall. Considering full 2019, the country recorded a JPY 1643.8 billion trade deficit, the biggest gap in four years. Exports went down 5.6 percent and imports declined 5 percent.
Published on 2020-01-22

Japan Trade Deficit Narrows in November
Japan's trade deficit narrowed sharply to JPY 82 billion in November 2019, from JPY 739 billion a year earlier and compared to market expectations of JPY 369 billion. Imports decreased by the most in nearly three years as consumption weakened after October's sales tax hike, while exports dropped for the 12th consecutive month, amid declining shipments to China and the US.
Published on 2019-12-17