Japan logs 3.4 bln USD trade deficit in September

TOKYO, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- Japan recorded a trade deficit of 536.6 billion yen (about 3.4 billion U.S. dollars) in September, marking its fifth consecutive month in the red, government data showed Wednesday.

Exports rose 16.7 percent year on year to increase for a 13th straight month, supported by strong demand for semiconductors and artificial intelligence-related products, according to data released by the Ministry of Finance.

Imports climbed 18.9 percent from a year earlier, slowing from a 28.0 percent increase in August, partly due to a decline in crude oil arrivals.

The slower growth in imports helped narrow the trade deficit from 1.11 trillion yen in August to 536.6 billion yen in September.

For the first half of fiscal 2026, covering April through September, Japan posted a trade deficit of 2.8 trillion yen, nearly double the figure a year earlier, as surging crude oil prices amid turmoil in the Middle East pushed up import costs, the data showed.