Japan logs 1st trade deficit in three months April

Japan's exports fell 12.5 percent in April from a year earlier, marking the second consecutive monthly decline, and posted a trade deficit for the first time in three months, the Ministry of Finance said Wednesday.

The ministry said in a preliminary report that the trade balance was tipped by the adverse affects of the March 11 disasters on production and shipping of goods.

The trade balance fell into a deficit of 463.7 billion yen (5.7 billion U.S. dollars) in the recording period, compared with economists' expectations for a 12.4 percent fall and following a 2. 3 percent revised decline logged in the previous month.

The figure also compares with a 729.2 billion yen surplus logged a year earlier.

The ministry said it was the first time since a 479.41 billion yen deficit booked in January that the balance has swung from a surplus.

The government figures revealed that exports totaled 5.156 trillion yen in the recording period and imports added up to 5.619 trillion yen, marking an 8.9 percent rise from a year earlier as commodity prices increased.

By region, export to the United States fell sharply by 23.3 percent, with the import to the nation increased only 1.8 percent. (one U.S. dollar is equivalent to 82 yen)

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