According to the spot report on GDP released by the Japanese Finance Ministry on 12th March, the current account balance has gone 8.1% further into the black compared to January 2007, rising to ¥1,235,800,000,000. This is the largest increase since comparative records were started in 1985 and the first increase in the current account surplus for two months.
Breaking down the current account balance, due to the influence of high oil prices and the reduction of exports to the USA, the trade surplus fell by 24.1% to ¥85,800,000,000. This makes January the third consecutive month in which net exports have fallen. The income balance, which reflects profits on foreign investments increased by 7.8% to ¥1,456,100,000,000, the seventh month in which the figure has risen and the highest increase on record for the month of January.
