Japan has posted a trade deficit for the fourth month in a row. This comes as imports in November hit the highest in yen terms since 1979, when the current method for tracking was introduced.
The Finance Ministry said imports jumped 43.8 percent last month compared to a year ago. It was the tenth straight month that the figure rose.
Rising crude oil prices led to a sharp increase in the overall value.
Exports were also up but by a smaller margin. They rose 20.5 percent. This was mainly due to increases in shipments of semiconductor machinery to China, and steel to the rest of Asia. But car exports to the US were down.
Overall, last month's trade balance came in at a deficit of over 8.3 billion dollars.
The Finance Ministry said imports jumped 43.8 percent last month compared to a year ago. It was the tenth straight month that the figure rose.
Rising crude oil prices led to a sharp increase in the overall value.
Exports were also up but by a smaller margin. They rose 20.5 percent. This was mainly due to increases in shipments of semiconductor machinery to China, and steel to the rest of Asia. But car exports to the US were down.
Overall, last month's trade balance came in at a deficit of over 8.3 billion dollars.
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Summary
Japan posted a trade deficit for the fourth consecutive month in November, with imports reaching the highest value in yen terms since 1979. The Finance Ministry reported a 43.8% increase in imports compared to last year, marking the tenth straight month of growth. Rising crude oil prices