Key facts
- Japan's September exports rose 16.7% year-on-year, missing the 20.1% forecast.
- Imports increased 18.9% year-on-year.
- The trade deficit was 536.6 billion yen ($3.39 billion).
Japan's exports increased by 16.7% in September from a year earlier, marking the thirteenth consecutive month of growth but falling short of economists' forecasts. Demand for semiconductors and AI-related products contributed to the rise. Exports to the United States grew 22.9%, while shipments to China increased 8.6%. Imports rose 18.9% year-on-year, leading to a trade deficit of 536.6 billion yen ($3.39 billion) for the month. The Ministry of Finance released the trade data on Wednesday.