Society

Japan logs biggest trade deficit in nearly 5 years

Feb 21 (NHK) - Japan recorded its biggest trade deficit in almost five years in January, extending its run of red ink to a fourth month as exports to China tumbled.

Figures released by Japan's Finance Ministry on Wednesday show the deficit for the month was 1.4 trillion yen, about 12.7 billion dollars.

Exports to all markets were down 8.4 percent from a year earlier in yen terms, largely due to a decline in sales of ships and semiconductor-making machines.

Imports declined by 0.6 percent, the result of lower crude oil prices.

Exports to China fell by 17.4 percent. Ministry officials say that could be due to China's slowing economy. They say the Lunar New Year holidays may also have dented demand.

On the other hand, Japan's surplus with the US grew for the first time in seven months, climbing 5.1 percent from a year earlier. US-bound auto exports rose by 13 percent.

Source: ANNnewsCH

Student's Homemade Bomb Sparks School Lockdown in Sapporo

A suspicious object feared to be explosive was discovered at a high school in Sapporo on the afternoon of November 22nd, causing temporary chaos. The object was found to have been brought to the school by one of its students.

China to resume visa-exemptions for short-term Japanese travelers

China says it will resume allowing visa-free visits by Japanese nationals on short-term trips from the end of this month. (NHK)

Japan Grapples with Poverty and Rising 'Invisible Homeless'

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Ueno Toshogu Shrine Shines in Gold with Special Lighting

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World's First Fiber Made From Bagworm Silk Revolutionizes Industry

A Japanese pharmaceutical company has announced the successful commercialization of fiber made from silk produced by bagworms.

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