TOKYO (dpa-AFX) - Japan posted a current account surplus of 452.8 billion yen in December, the Ministry of Finance said on Friday - down 43.1 percent on year.
That was shy of expectations for a surplus of 458.5 billion yen and down from 757.2 billion yen in November.
The trade balance showed a surplus of 216.2 billion yen, exceeding forecasts for 132.4 billion yen following the 559.1 billion yen deficit in the previous month.
Exports were down 2.8 percent on year to 7.069 trillion yen after gaining 1.9 percent a month earlier.
Imports added an annual 1.6 percent to 6.853 trillion yen after surging 13.5 percent on year in November.
The capital account showed a deficit of 4.5 billion yen, while the financial account saw a shortfall of 260 billion yen.
The adjusted current account surplus was 1.562 trillion yen - beating forecasts for 1.501 billion yen and up from 1.438 billion yen a month earlier.
Also on Friday: . The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications said that the average of household spending in Japan was up a discontinuity adjusted 0.1 percent on year in December, coming in at 329,271 yen.
That missed expectations for an increase of 0.9 percent following the 0.6 percent contraction in November.
The average of monthly income per household stood at 1,026,628 yen, up an annual 2.3 percent.
Individually, spending was higher for housing, furniture, clothing, communications, education and recreation. It was down for food, fuel and medical care.
. The Bank of Japan said that overall bank lending in Japan was up 2.4 percent on year in January, coming in at 535.350 trillion yen and roughly unchanged from December.
Excluding trusts, bank lending advanced an annual 2.4 percent to 465.921 trillion yen, slowing from the 2.5 percent increase in the previous month.
Loans from trusts climbed 1.9 percent to 69.428 trillion yen, slowing from the 2.0 percent gain a month earlier. Loans from foreign banks gained an annual 1.3 percent to 2.464 trillion yen, slowing from the 16.2 percent surge in December.
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