AFP, Tokyo :
Japan posted a trade surplus for the third straight month in April helped by a further rise in exports including to the United States, official data showed Monday.
American President Donald Trump has vowed to root out “unfair” trade practices around the world and target countries, including Japan, that contribute to America’s nearly $50 billion a month trade deficit.
Trump has assailed Japan for allegedly devaluing the yen to boost exports, grouping it with countries he says are taking “advantage” of the US.
Despite the rhetoric, Washington-which cooperates closely with Japan on a range of global and security issues-has yet to make a formal request for bilateral trade negotiations in specific sectors with Tokyo.
In April, Japan logged a trade surplus in goods of 481.7 billion yen ($4.3 billion), the finance ministry said, marking the third straight month in the black.
Overall exports rose 7.5 percent thanks to brisk shipments of chip production machines, steel and motors, while imports jumped 15.1 percent on the back of growing domestic demand.
Japan posted a trade surplus for the third straight month in April helped by a further rise in exports including to the United States, official data showed Monday.
American President Donald Trump has vowed to root out “unfair” trade practices around the world and target countries, including Japan, that contribute to America’s nearly $50 billion a month trade deficit.
Trump has assailed Japan for allegedly devaluing the yen to boost exports, grouping it with countries he says are taking “advantage” of the US.
Despite the rhetoric, Washington-which cooperates closely with Japan on a range of global and security issues-has yet to make a formal request for bilateral trade negotiations in specific sectors with Tokyo.
In April, Japan logged a trade surplus in goods of 481.7 billion yen ($4.3 billion), the finance ministry said, marking the third straight month in the black.
Overall exports rose 7.5 percent thanks to brisk shipments of chip production machines, steel and motors, while imports jumped 15.1 percent on the back of growing domestic demand.
