Japan's trade surplus jumped 36.6 percent on a year-on-year basis in fiscal 2002, marking the first increase in four years, the Finance Ministry said Wednesday.

Robust economic growth in other parts of Asia led to a sharp increase in the nation's trade surplus with the region, the ministry said in a preliminary report.

The overall customs-cleared trade surplus -- exports minus imports -- stood at 9.68 trillion yen in the year to March 31, according to the ministry.