TOKYO -- Kuwait's trade surplus with Japan in January narrowed 36.9 percent from a year earlier to JPY 48.5 billion (USD 295 million), down for the third straight month due to slow exports, government data showed Wednesday.


However, Kuwait remained in black ink with Japan for 18 years on a monthly basis, years, as exports still outpaced imports in value, the Finance Ministry said in a preliminary report.


Overall Kuwaiti exports to Japan slid 35.4 percent year-on-year to JPY 65.3 billion (USD 404 million) for the third consecutive month of decline. Imports from Japan also plunged 30.5 percent to JPY 16.9 billion (USD 102 million), down for the first time in two months.
Middle East's trade surplus with Japan fell 22.6 percent to JPY 645.0 billion (USD 4.2 billion) in January, with Japan-bound exports from the region shrinking 14.5 percent from a year earlier.


Crude oil, refined products, liquefied natural gas (LNG) and other natural resources, which accounted for 94.2 percent of the region's total exports to Japan last month, dropped 14.8 percent.
The region's overall imports from Japan rose 3.0 percent on demand for electrical machinery, although shipment for automobiles declined 7.2 percent.

Japan's global trade balance returned to deficit for the first time in three months at 1.2 trillion (USD 7.5 billion) in January, but its size plummeted 58 percent from a year earlier.


Exports increased 16.8 percent from the year before, buoyed by sales of semiconductors and other electronic parts, non-ferrous metal and plastic. Imports went down 2.5 percent on lower energy bills, including LNG, crude oil and petroleum products.


China remained Japan's biggest trade partner for both December and the full year, followed by the US. The trade data are measured on a customs-cleared basis before adjustment for seasonal factors.

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