Japan's current account surplus rose 85.3% in May from a year earlier, with a significant increase in exports that have recovered from a slump last year amid the COVID-19 pandemic, government data showed Thursday.

The current account balance — one of the widest gauges of international trade — marked a surplus of ¥1.98 trillion ($18 billion), the Finance Ministry wrote in a preliminary report, adding that the surplus rose for the third straight month to log the 83rd consecutive month of black ink. In April, the surplus posted a more than sixfold jump.

The country's goods trade balance came to a surplus of ¥2.0 billion, a turnaround from a ¥512.5 billion deficit a year ago, as exports increased 46.5% to ¥6.18 trillion.