OTHER NEWS - July 18, 1995

Japan Trade Surplus Shrinks in First Half: However, the country’s politically sensitive trade gap with the United States continued to grow, rising to $25.15 billion from $24.52 billion a year ago, the Finance Ministry reported. The June trade surplus with the United States slipped to $4.19 billion from $4.74 billion in 1994. Japan’s overall customs-cleared trade surplus fell nearly 4% to $57.42 billion in the January-June period from $59.77 billion in the same period a year earlier. The data was not adjusted for seasonal factors. Economists said Japan’s trade surplus will probably continue on a downward path, although the yen’s rise earlier this year should delay its drop in dollar terms.