The nation's current account surplus grew for the first time in two years in 2000, jumping 3.7 percent from the previous year to 12.6 trillion yen, according to preliminary figures released Wednesday by the Finance Ministry.

The figure was a turnaround from a 22.9 percent fall in 1999, mainly due to a reduced services trade deficit. Determining the future direction of the current account surplus is difficult, however, because different components of the current account balance showed different results, a ministry official said.

The current account measures the difference between a country's income from foreign sources and foreign obligations payable, excluding net capital investment.

The surplus in merchandise trade -- exports minus imports -- fell 10.2 percent to 12.58 trillion yen in 2000. While exports increased 8.1 percent from the previous year to 3.72 trillion yen, the increase was outpaced by a 16.2 percent increase in imports on the year to 5.15 trillion yen.

High oil prices throughout 2000 were a primary factor in the increase in imports. Oil imports from the Middle East soared 53.8 percent on a price rise to an average 19,285 yen per kiloliter, or a 59.1 percent increase from 1999, according to the ministry.

The deficit in the services account, however, shrank by 1.44 trillion yen to 5.11 trillion yen largely due to the yen's appreciation up to last October, which helped reduce operational costs of Japanese firms abroad.

The surplus in the income balance meanwhile expanded by 505.8 billion yen to 6.2 trillion yen in 2000 due mainly to an increase in securities investment returns.

The deficit in current account transfers, however, contracted by 329.1 billion yen to 1.58 trillion yen in 2000, according to the figures.

As a result, the current account balance -- comprising trade and services, income and current account transfers -- posted a 3.7 percent year-on-year increase to 12.6 trillion yen in 2000.

In December alone, the current account surplus marked a 20.7 percent year-on-year decrease to 688.5 billion yen. The decline can be attributed to a smaller trade surplus, the official said.

The surplus in merchandise trade decreased 21.4 percent from the previous year to 995 billion yen.

High oil prices pushed up the value of imports by 21.4 percent from the same month last year, according to the figures.

Uniform makers abstain

OSAKA -- A Japanese association of uniform makers said Wednesday it has decided not to join calls by some other textile manufacturers for the government to impose an emergency curb on textile imports.

Seizo Idehara, president of the Japan Apparel Manufacturers Association, told reporters that his group had made the decision because it had doubts about the effectiveness of a curb on imports and because many of its member firms produce their products abroad.

Alarmed by surging imports, some Japanese textile manufacturers, including towel makers, are planning to file a petition asking the government to invoke a "safeguard" import restriction, allowed under World Trade Organization rules when domestic industries are endangered.