Japan saw goods trade surplus in July as exports to China recovered

Japan saw its first goods trade surplus in four months in July as exports to China significantly recovered from a slump stemming from the novel coronavirus pandemic, government data showed Wednesday.

Exports to China, Japan's biggest goods trade partner, increased 8.2 percent in the reporting month from a year earlier for the first rise in seven months, helping the country log an ¥11.6 billion ($109 million) goods trade surplus, according to a preliminary report by the Finance Ministry.

But overall exports in July remained sluggish, down 19.2 percent from a year ago to ¥5.37 trillion to mark a double-digit fall for the fifth straight month, as the continued impact of the pandemic suppressed overseas demand. Exports sagged for the 20th consecutive month.