Exports in the first half posted the largest year-on-year drop in 10½ years as the coronavirus pandemic weighed heavily on overseas demand for cars and other industrial goods, government data showed Monday.
Exports from January to June fell 15.4 percent from a year earlier to ¥32.36 trillion ($300 billion), the steepest dive on a half-year basis since the 22.8 percent plunge in the second half of 2009 during the global financial crisis, according to a preliminary report by the Finance Ministry.
By item, autos slid 30.9 percent, the biggest fall since 34.4 percent in the second half of 2009, and auto parts sank 29.0 percent.