Japan trade balance rises in April as strong exports offset rising imports in World Economy News 22/05/2026 Japan clocked a bigger-than-expected trade surplus in April, aided by an outsized increase in exports as demand in the country’s top markets– the U.S. and China– remained robust. Strong exports also largely offset the impact of surging imports on Japan’s trade balance, as the country imported increasing amounts of computing equipment and semiconductors. Japan’s energy imports fell in April despite rapidly rising global oil and gas prices due to the Middle East conflict. Trade balance grew to a surplus of 301.9 billion yen ($1.90 billion), data from the Ministry of Finance showed on Thursday. The print was higher than expectations for a 29.7 billion yen deficit, but did fall from a 643.0 billion yen surplus in March. Exports were the biggest driver of the surplus, rising 14.8% year-on-year in April against expectations of 9.3%. Growth also accelerated from the 11.5% rise seen in March. Exports of plastics, chemicals, capital machinery and automobiles remained the biggest drivers of growth, with shipments to both the U.S. and China increasing steadily in April. A weaker yen was also a major driver of export value growth. This helped offset a 9.7% surge in imports, which was bigger than expectations for a 8.3% increase. While Japan’s energy imports had risen steadily this year, especially amid high oil prices due to the Middle East war, its petroleum and gas imports unexpectedly fell in April. April’s import surge was driven chiefly by semiconductors and electrical equipment, driven largely by increased data center development in the country. Japan’s oil imports from the U.S. did increase in April, indicating that the country was seeking alternative sources due to disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. Source: Investing.com 2026-05-22 hellenicshippingnews... tweet Share