Japan's current account surplus grew 33.8 percent in 2002 from a year earlier, marking the first rise in four years, mainly due to a jump in exports to other parts of Asia, the Finance Ministry said Monday.
In December alone, however, the current account surplus fell 1.4 percent year-on-year, the first decline in three months, as brisk exports failed to make up for a fall in repatriated income, the ministry said in a preliminary report.
The current account is the broadest gauge of trade, measuring the difference between a country's income from foreign sources and foreign obligations payable, excluding net capital investment. It combines trade, services, income and current transfers.