Japan Apr chemical exports rise 8.5%, total exports up 12.5%

SINGAPORE (ICIS)–Japan’s chemical exports rose by 8.5% year on year to yen (Y) 1,036bn in April but overall trade remained at a deficit following a jump in imports, official data showed on Thursday.

The country’s exports of organic chemicals rose by 5.7% year on year to Y193.2bn in April while shipments of plastic materials were up by 11.5% at Y291bn, Ministry of Finance (MOF) data showed.

In volume terms, Japan’s exports of plastic materials fell by 10.6% year on year to 485,730 tonnes in April.

Overall exports rose by 12.5% year on year to Y8,076bn in April while imports jumped by 28.2% to Y8,915bn, resulting in a deficit of Y839bn. Japan has now posted nine straight months of a trade deficit.

In contrast, Japan recorded a surplus of nearly Y227bn in April last year.

Exports to China fell by 5.9% year on year to Y1,489bn in April while shipments to the US were up by 17.6% at Y1,500bn.