日本の4月輸出、14.8%増で貿易黒字

According to trade statistics released by Japan's Ministry of Finance on May 21, export value in April rose 14.8% from a year earlier, marking an eighth straight month of gains.

Imports also increased 9.7%, but the trade balance shifted into a 301.9 billion yen surplus. In the same month a year earlier, Japan had recorded a deficit.

According to AP, semiconductor shipment value rose by about 42% from a year earlier. Demand for the computing infrastructure that supports AI is said to remain strong.

Exports of medical products, paper goods and electrical machinery were also reported to have supported the overall result. That means growth was seen across multiple sectors.

Exports to China rose 15.5%, while exports to the United States increased 9.5%. The figures suggest overseas demand stayed broadly firm.

Meanwhile, imports from China rose 15% and imports from the United States increased 23%. Both exports and imports moved substantially.

Although overall imports rose, crude oil import value fell by about 50% from a year earlier and liquefied natural gas imports also dropped 20%. Supply concerns following the Iran war are said to be behind the decline.

AP reported that transport narrowed because of the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Since Japan depends on imports for most of its oil, the impact is easier to feel.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is said to have ordered a partial release of oil reserves. Brent crude has risen from about $70 a barrel before the war to above $100, and the weak yen is also making the import burden heavier.

These figures showed that Japan's trade held up even amid an unstable energy situation. But if supply network disruptions continue, they are seen as likely to push up production costs.