TOKYO, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Japan posted a current account surplus of 3.91 trillion yen (around 24.4 billion U.S. dollars) in April, up 64.9 percent from a year earlier, official data showed Monday.
The surplus increase was driven by higher returns on overseas investments by Japanese financial institutions and trading houses, the Finance Ministry said in a preliminary report.
Primary income, which reflects earnings from Japan's overseas investments, rose 15.3 percent from a year earlier to 4.21 trillion yen.
Among other key components, the goods trade balance returned to surplus, recording a positive balance of 395.7 billion yen, compared with a deficit of 700 million yen the previous year. Breaking it down, exports increased 13.9 percent to 10.11 trillion yen, while imports climbed 9.5 percent to 9.71 trillion yen.
Due to regional tensions and supply chain disruptions, Japan's exports to the Middle East and imports from the region both fell more than 55 percent year on year in April, while the number of travelers from the area declined by about 20 percent, Kyodo News reported, citing a ministry official.
The current account balance is one of the widest gauges of international trade. (1 Japanese yen equals about 0.0062 U.S. dollars) ■
