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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

Japan Trade Balance Swings to Surplus
Japan posted a trade surplus of JPY 17.3 billion in October 2019, shifting from a JPY 456 billion deficit the same month a year earlier but missing market expectations of a JPY 300 billion surplus. This was the first surplus in four months. Imports decreased 14.8 percent over a year earlier, the sixth consecutive drop, mainly due to lower oil prices. Exports slumped 9.2 percent, falling for the eleventh straight month and by the most in three years, amid a drop in shipments to China and the US.
Published on 2019-11-19

Japan Trade Balance Swings to Deficit
Japan unexpectedly posted a trade deficit of JPY 123 billion deficit in September 2019, shifting from a JPY 124.1 billion surplus in the same month a year earlier and missing market expectations of a JPY 54 billion surplus. This was the third straight month of shortfall, as exports slumped 5.2 percent, falling for the tenth month in a row, while imports decreased at a softer 1.5 percent, the fifth consecutive month of drop.
Published on 2019-10-21

Japan Trade Gap Narrows as Imports Slump
Japan's trade deficit narrowed to JPY 136.3 billion in August 2019 from JPY 448.1 billion in the same month a year earlier and compared to market expectations of a JPY 356 billion gap. Exports declined 8.2 percent, the ninth straight month of decline, while imports plunged 12 percent, as trade policy uncertainty continues to drag activity.
Published on 2019-09-18

Japan Trade Gap Widens in July
Japan's trade deficit widened to JPY 249.6 billion in July 2019 from JPY 227.4 billion in the same month a year earlier and larger than market expectations of a JPY 200 billion gap. Exports fell 1.6 percent, the eight straight month of decline, while imports dropped at a slower 1.2 percent.
Published on 2019-08-18

Japan Trade Surplus Narrows in June
Japan's trade surplus narrowed to JPY 589 billion in June 2019 from JPY 728 billion in the same month a year earlier and compared to market expectations of a JPY 420 billion surplus. Exports declined for a seventh straight month while imports fell for the second month in a row.
Published on 2019-07-17

Japan Trade Deficit Widens in May
Japan posted a trade deficit of JPY 967 billion in May 2019 compared with a JPY 577 billion shortfall in the same month a year earlier and market expectations of a JPY 979 billion gap. Exports declined for a sixth straight month while imports edged down after climbing in April.
Published on 2019-06-19