Japan posts 5.7-bln-U.S. dollar trade deficit in January

Japan logged a goods trade deficit of 645.94 billion yen (about 5.7 billion U.S. dollars) in January on weak exports amid poor economic situation around the world, the government said Thursday.

That compared to a surplus of 140.30 billion yen in December 2015.

The Finance Ministry said in a preliminary report that the value of exports fell 12.9 percent year-on-year to about 46.89 billion dollars, marking the fourth straight month of decline, while imports also dropped 18.0 percent to 52.59 billion dollars for the 13th consecutive month, according to the ministry.

According to the report, Japan's exports to China plunged 17.5 percent to around 7.54 billion dollars for the sixth straight monthly decline, while imports from China was down 6.0 percent to around 14.64 billion dollars for the fourth straight month.

Shipments to the United States fell 5.3 percent to around 9.90 billion dollars, while imports dropped 9.7 percent to about 5.13 billion dollars.

Exports to the European Union declined 3.6 percent to 5.54 billion dollars and imports from the EU increased 6.0 percent to about 6.31 billion U.S. dollars.

The figures were measured on a customs-cleared basis. Endit