Japan's exports slipped for a 15th straight month in February as U.S. and China-bound shipments declined, suggesting a cooling of business activity in the world's third-largest economy due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Imports from China fell at their fastest pace since 1986 after the virus, which has killed more than 7,000 people worldwide, led to a widespread shutdown of production in the region's largest economy.
Finance Ministry data out Wednesday showed Japan's exports fell 1.0 percent from a year earlier in February, dragged by U.S.-bound shipments of cars and metal processing machinery to China.