Japan posted a current account surplus of ¥833.4 billion in October, the fourth straight month of black ink as income from foreign investment soared to a record high and outweighed a huge trade deficit, the government said Monday.
Exports surged 11.2 percent from a year earlier to ¥6.57 trillion on the back of stronger car shipments, while imports rose 7.4 percent to ¥7.33 trillion due partly to rising purchases of communications devices from other nations. It brought the goods trade deficit to ¥766.6 billion, the Finance Ministry said.
The surplus in the primary income account, which reflects how much Japan earns from its foreign investments, jumped 48.3 percent to ¥2.02 trillion, up for the fourth consecutive month, with the yen's slide helping to increase dividends from foreign direct investment, the ministry said in a preliminary report.