Japan posted a merchandise trade deficit of 378.673 billion yen in May, the Ministry of Finance said on Wednesday.
That beat expectations for a shortfall of 564.6 billion yen following the downwardly revised 299.3 billion yen surplus in April (originally 301.9 billion).
Exports climbed 17.0 percent on year, also topping forecasts for 16.2 percent following the 14.8 percent increase in the previous month.
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June 12, 2026 17:14 ET Major central bank action was the focus this week in economic news. The European Central Bank became the first major central bank to move in response to the rising inflationary pressures in the backdrop of the conflict in the Middle East. In North America, the U.S. inflation and trade data as well as Canada’s central bank decision gained attention. The Chinese trade data was the main news in Asia.