Japan's current account surplus in October grew 5.2 percent to 1.51 trillion yen from the same month a year ago, the Finance Ministry said Wednesday.
The surplus in the current account, the widest measure of financial performance because it tracks the flow of trade in goods and services as well as income from investment overseas, marked the fourth straight month of increase.
The continuing surplus in companies' income earned from overseas investments offset a contracting trade surplus with the rest of the world.
Income surplus, the net income from investment overseas, marked the 27nd straight monthly rise year on year.
The income surplus widened by 36.3 percent to 1.18 trillion yen and exceeded the surplus in trade, Japan's pillar of economic growth, for the fourth straight month.
The surplus in goods and services trade narrowed 36.0 percent from a year earlier to 419.9 billion yen.
The surplus in merchandise trade shrank 18.9 percent to 756 billion yen.
Exports led by automobiles, steel and nonferrous metals rose 11.1 percent to 6.26 trillion yen, while imports led by liquefied natural gas increased 17.1 percent to 5.50 trillion yen.