Japan trade surplus shrank by more than expected in October, official figures have shown, following a rise in imports of liquefied natural gas.
The trade surplus for October was 614.7bn yen (£2.7bn; $5.2bn), down 24.8% from the same month last year. It is the first time in three months the surplus has shrunk and follows September's 18-month high. The liquefied natural gas helped to push up imports by 17.4%, while exports grew by 11.6%.
The gas imports were used to activate thermal power plants following the suspension of nuclear power plants. The overall level of imports was also boosted by aircraft imports, the government said. Japan's deficit with the Middle East - a key source of energy supplies - increased by 5.7% during the period. Exports to the US rose by 13.5%, prompted by a 36.3% increase in car shipments.
Source: BBC News
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