Japan's Asia import rises

Japan's Asia import rises

TOKYO (AFP): Japan's imports from Asia rose in February for the first time in 14 months, the finance ministry said Thursday, offering a glimmer of recovery in the crisis-struck region.

Japan's trade surplus with its Asian neighbors fell 57.3 percent to 208.8 billion yen (US$1.8 billion) in the month.

Exports slid 18.0 percent to 1,196.9 billion yen but imports staged a cautious recovery, moving up 1.8 percent to 988.2 billion yen.

Japan's imports from China were behind the recovery in imports, rising a strong 19.2 percent in the month to 351.0 billion yen, expanding Japan's trade deficit with China by 65.1 percent to 175.9 billion yen.

Tokyo also ran a deficit in the month with Indonesia and Vietnam.

Japan's overall trade surplus slid 26.9 percent in February to 934.2 billion yen, driven by a heavy fall in politically- sensitive steel exports and a rise in aircraft orders.