The yen remains a secondary currency in Japan's trade with its major partners, with the U.S. dollar still the most frequently used currency in both imports and exports, data released by the Finance Ministry showed Wednesday.

The U.S. currency accounted for 52.4 percent of the value of exports in the July-December period of 2000, followed by the yen at 36.1 percent and the euro at 6.1 percent, the ministry said.

It also accounted for the lion's share of imports at 70.7 percent. The yen followed at 23.5 percent and the euro at 1.2 percent.

The yen, however, was the most frequently used currency in exports to other Asian countries, accounting for 50 percent of total export value.

The yen was followed by the dollar, which accounted for 48.2 percent, and the Singapore dollar at 0.5 percent.

Exports to the United States were largely conducted in the dollar, which accounted for 86.7 percent of export value, followed by the yen, which accounted for 13.2 percent.

The euro was most frequently used for exports to the European Union, at 36.2 percent, followed by the yen at 33.5 percent and the dollar at 13 percent.

The yen was the dominant currency in import transactions with the EU, accounting for 49.7 percent of total imports from the region. The dollar was second at 17.5 percent, followed by the euro at 8.6 percent.

The dollar was the most frequently used currency for imports from the U.S., accounting for 78.7 percent, and other Asian countries, accounting for 74 percent.

The yen was the second most used currency for imports from the U.S., at 20.8 percent, and the Asian region, at 24.8 percent.

It is the first time the ministry has released currency-by-currency trade data.