INTERNATIONAL

Japan Posts $57.6-Billion Trade Surplus: Japan’s current account surplus surged 50.5% to a record $57.6 billion in the first half of the fiscal year as imports suffered from an economic slowdown, the Finance Ministry said. The current account is a broad measure of trade in goods, services and other international financial flows. While Japan has aimed at paring its surplus with the United States and other major trading partners, the trend suggests that the figure will climb well beyond the government target of $71 billion set for fiscal 1992. The surplus amounted to $90.08 billion for fiscal 1991.