Japan exports fall for 10th straight month in September

In this July 8, 2019, photo, cars for export are parked at Kawasaki port, near Tokyo. Japan has logged a third straight month of a trade deficit in September, according to the latest government data, as trade tensions between China and the U.S. crimped exports. Japan’s Finance Ministry reported Monday, Oct. 21, the nation’s trade deficit in September totaled 122.98 billion yen ($1.13 billion). Japan’s exports have fallen for a 10th straight month amid weak demand in China, South Korea, and other Asian markets.

The data for September reported Monday showed a deepening impact from trade tensions between the U.S. and China and between Japan and neighboring South Korea. The Finance Ministry said the trade deficit in September totaled $1.1 billion, a third consecutive month of red ink. Exports fell 5.2% from the same month in 2018, with slower shipments of machinery and auto parts. Imports dropped by 1.5%. Exports to the U.S. dropped nearly 8% from a year earlier while imports from the U.S. declined 12%. The trade surplus with America fell from 3.5% to 564.1 billion yen ($5.2 billion).