Private-sector economists expect Japan to report a trade deficit for January for the first time in five years due to higher oil import prices, a Kyodo News poll of 24 economists showed Friday.

The economists' forecasts for the month average 105.2 billion yen, which would be the first monthly trade deficit since 98.5 billion yen in January 2001 and the largest since 196.6 billion yen in January 1984.