Japan trade surplus with US shrinks for second month

Japan’s sensitive trade surplus with the United States shrank sharply for the second consecutive month, according to official data published yesterday, as Tokyo nervously eyes Washington’s trade war with China, reports AFP from Tokyo.

The surplus came in at 455.8 billion yen ($4.05 billion) in August, as the rise in US aerospace, natural gas and coal imports outpaced Tokyo’s exports of pharmaceutical and construction products.

US President Donald Trump has reportedly cited Japan as his next target

after China as he seeks to reduce Washington’s trade deficit.

The US-China trade war has shown no sign of cooling, with Trump moving forward with tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese imports, sparking immediate retaliation from Beijing.

Later Wednesday, Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda voiced strong concern over the trade war, saying bilateral trade conflicts would affect not only the countries involved but also the entire global economy.

 

Japan trade surplus with US shrinks for second month

Japans sensitive trade surplus with the United States shrank sharply for the second consecutive month, according to official data published yesterday, as Tokyo nervously eyes Washingtons trade war with China, reports AFP from Tokyo. The surplus came in at 455.8 billion yen ($4.05 billion) in August, as the rise in US aerospace, natural gas and coal imports outpaced Tokyos exports of pharmaceutical and construction products. US President Donald Trump has reportedly cited Japan as his next target after China as he seeks to reduce Washingtons trade deficit. The US-China trade war has shown no sign of cooling, with Trump moving forward with tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese imports, sparking immediate retaliation from Beijing. Later Wednesday, Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda voiced strong concern over the trade war, saying bilateral trade conflicts would affect not only the countries involved but also the entire global economy.