The customs-cleared trade surplus fell 25.4 percent in February from a year earlier to 879.4 billion yen for the eighth consecutive monthly decline, the Finance Ministry said in a preliminary report Wednesday.

The surplus was a turnaround from the trade deficit of 95.3 billion yen posted in January.

In the latest reporting month, exports edged up 1.5 percent to 4.197 trillion yen, while imports rose 12.2 percent to 3.318 trillion yen. It is the 16th month in a row that both segments have risen year on year.