TOKYO (Reuters) – Japanese exports rose 2.8% year-on-year in December, up for a third straight month, data from the Ministry of Finance showed on Thursday.
The result compared with a 2.3% increase expected by economists in a Reuters poll.
Imports grew 1.8% in December from a year earlier, versus a 2.6% increase expected by economists.
As a result, the trade balance stood at a surplus of 130.9 billion yen ($836.90 million), compared with the forecast of a deficit of 53 billion yen.
For the whole of 2024, Japan logged a trade deficit of 5.3 trillion yen.
($1 = 156.4100 yen)
