Japan’s trade balance swings into surplus
AgenciesJapan’s current account surplus in the first half of 2026 rose 22.5 percent from a year earlier to 17.43 trillion yen ($110 billion) as the trade balance swung into the bla...
Japan's trade balance turned into a surplus in the first half of 2026, as reported by government data released on Monday. The current account surplus rose by 22.5% from the previous year to reach 17.43 trillion yen ($110 billion), marking the highest level for a first half since 1985. This surge in the trade balance was primarily driven by a positive trend in the goods trade balance, which turned into a surplus of 742.1 billion yen, up from a deficit of 1.46 trillion yen in the same period last year.
The ministry's preliminary report highlighted that exports surged 12.8% to 59.19 trillion yen, fueled by strong demand for chip-related electronics and automobiles. In contrast, imports increased by 8.4% to 58.45 trillion yen. The primary income, reflecting Japan's earnings from overseas investments, grew by 0.3% to 20.49 trillion yen.
However, the services trade deficit widened by 15.4% to 1.82 trillion yen, primarily due to a smaller travel surplus, which stood at 3.13 trillion yen. The Japan National Tourism Organization's data revealed a 2.0% decline in inbound visitors to Japan, falling to 21.08 million in the first half of 2026, while outbound travelers increased by 5.1% to 6.94 million.
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