Japan logged a record deficit of 4,989.2 billion yen in goods trade for the April-September first half of fiscal 2013, as a weaker yen and strong demand for energy continued to push up fossil fuel import costs, the government said Monday.
In the six-month period, exports rose 9.8 percent from a year earlier to 35,319.9 billion yen, while imports advanced 13.9 percent to 40,309.1 billion yen, the Finance Ministry said in a preliminary report.
In September, the trade balance came to a deficit of 932.1 billion yen, a record for the month and staying in the red for a record 15th consecutive month.
Source: NewsOnJapan
