Japan's exports in August grew 15. 8 percent from a year earlier, statistics from the Finance Ministry revealed on Monday.

The ministry said the value of exports reached 5.22 trillion yen (about US$61.9 billion). The trade surplus contracted 37.5 percent to 103.2 billion yen (about US$1.2 billion).

The figures are measured on a customs-cleared basis before adjustments for seasonal factors, Kyodo News reported.

The nation's export growth had slowed for the sixth straight month. Exports rose more than 23 percent in July and 28 percent in June.

(Xinhua News Agency September 27, 2010)