The nation's customs-cleared trade surplus plunged 11.3 percent to 776.8 billion yen in February from the previous year mainly due to slack shipments of information technology goods, according to a preliminary report released by the Finance Ministry on Wednesday.

The surplus was down for the first time in two months, the ministry said.

Exports decreased 4.2 percent to 4.01 trillion yen for the 11th straight month of year-on-year decline, while imports dropped 2.4 percent to 3.24 trillion yen, for the seventh consecutive month of decline.