Japan's Trade Surplus

The recent drop in oil prices and the low value of the Yen seem to be sending Japan's trade balance once more spiralling into surplus:

Japan’s trade surplus rose nearly 100 per cent in August, showing that net exports were still contributing to overall economic growth and that the effects of high oil prices were slowly waning.

Although the leap was smaller than expected, economists said the numbers showed that exports to the US, China and Europe continued to expand. Because exporters tend to take a summer break in August, the trade surplus is generally small, making big changes in percentage terms quite common.