Japan’s unadjusted trade surplus declined for the...

Japan’s unadjusted trade surplus declined for the sixth consecutive month in October, when record imports cut it by 12.3% from year-earlier levels to $6.81 billion, the Finance Ministry reported. However, Japan’s surplus with the United States rose 0.1% from a year earlier to $4.98 billion, said a ministry official, speaking on condition of anonymity. Japan posted a trade surplus of $7.77 billion in October, 1986, and $7.43 billion in September, 1987. The official said one reason for the increase in Japan’s surplus with the United States was that it had imported $170 million in airplanes in October, 1986, but did not import any this October.