The nation's current account surplus expanded for the fifth month in a row in February, marking a 3.9 percent year-on-year increase to 1.41 trillion yen, according to a preliminary report released Thursday by the Finance Ministry.
The current account is the broadest gauge of trade that measures the difference between a country's income from foreign sources and foreign obligations payable, excluding net capital investment. The current account combines trade, services, income and current account transfers.
The increase was due to recent increases in the income balance, which centers on Japanese firms' foreign investment returns, a ministry official said.