P.M. BRIEFING : Japan Trade Surplus Widens
Japan’s trade surplus with the rest of the world widened 3.7% in August while its surplus with the United States narrowed, the Finance Ministry said today.
The overall surplus grew to an unadjusted $3.49 billion in August from $3.37 billion in August, 1989, the ministry said.
It was the third time this year that the nation’s trade gap has widened compared with a year earlier. The surplus had declined for 11 consecutive months until March.
Japan’s trade surplus with the United States narrowed to $2.83 billion from $3.01 billion in August last year.
The surplus with the United States shrank because of lower demand for Japanese exports resulting from a slowing U.S. economy, economists said.
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