Japan Logs Trade Surplus of 17.3 B. Yen in Oct.

Tokyo, Nov. 20 (Jiji Press)--Japan logged a customs-cleared trade surplus of 17.3 billion yen in October, compared with a deficit of 456.3 billion yen a year before, the Ministry of Finance said Wednesday. The result came against the median forecast of 301 billion yen in surplus among 17 research institutes surveyed by Jiji Press. Exports fell 9.2 pct from a year earlier to 6,577.4 billion yen, and imports dropped 14.8 pct to 6,560.1 billion yen, the ministry said in a preliminary report. In trade with the United States, Japan's surplus shrank 2.7 pct to 557.5 billion yen. Exports were down 11.4 pct, and imports declined 17.2 pct. In trade with mainland China, Japan posted a deficit of 269.9 billion yen, compared with 407.8 billion yen in deficit a year before. Exports fell 10.3 pct, and imports were down 15.4 pct. END