The nation's surplus in merchandise trade in 1998 soared 40.1 percent from a year earlier to a record 13.98 trillion yen, the Finance Ministry said in a preliminary report released Monday.
The customs-cleared trade surplus has risen for two straight years.
Exports slipped 0.6 percent to 50.645 trillion yen, down for the first time in five years. Exports of automobiles rose 9.6 percent and ships 14.2 percent. Imports fell 10.5 percent to 36.66 trillion yen, also the first drop in five years. Crude oil imports plunged 30.6 percent in value because the unit price fell 27 percent from the previous year. Wood products tumbled 41.4 percent due to shrinking housing construction in Japan.