The nation's customs-cleared trade surplus fell 57.9 percent from a year earlier in July to 420.70 billion yen, marking the 13th consecutive month of decline, the Finance Ministry said Thursday.
The decline was attributed to lower exports of microchips and electronic measuring instruments combined with higher imports of crude oil and liquefied natural gas.
Exports slid 6.5 percent to 4.035 trillion yen for the fourth consecutive monthly slide, reflecting a 25 percent fall in semiconductor and other electronics parts and a 29.6 percent slide in electronic measuring equipment, including components for cellular phones, the ministry said in a preliminary report.