Japan's current account surplus rose 17.9 percent in 2004 from a year earlier to a record 18.59 trillion yen.
The Finance Ministry said Monday in a preliminary report that the surplus stemmed from a trade surplus with other Asian economies and the United States and a record-high surplus in the income account. The previous record was 15.77 trillion yen, set in 2003.
Private-sector economists predict the current account surplus will remain at high levels this year due to the steady growth of the world economy, especially growing demand from China, whose economy is projected to grow about 8 percent this year after expanding 9.5 percent in 2004.