Japan’s trade deficit narrowed less than expected in November even as commodity prices cooled, as the impact of the weaker yen continued to weigh on imports.
The trade gap remained above ¥2 trillion ($14.8 billion) for a fourth consecutive month, Finance Ministry figures showed Thursday, with the ¥2.03 trillion deficit much larger than a shortfall of ¥1.68 trillion estimated by economists.
Imports increased 30.3% from a year ago compared with a 26.9% forecast, while exports gained 20%, largely in line with expectations. Inbound shipments were still led by crude oil and coal shipments, while exports were pushed up by cars, construction and mining machinery.
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