Japan Posts Second Consecutive Current Account Deficit; 2012 Account Surplus Lowest on Record

Reuters reports Record low current account surplus shows Japan’s challenges Japan posted its smallest annual current account surplus on record in 2012 as exports weakened and energy imports grew, a signal to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that economic revival needs more than just a weaker yen and extra spending. The current account surplus is likely to continue shrinking as energy imports rise due to the closure of nuclear power plants and as Japanese exporters lose out to more competitive Asian rivals, economists say. Japan’s current account surplus was 4.7 trillion yen ($50.4 billion) in 2012, Ministry of Finance data showed, a figure that seems impressive.

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Japan Posts Second Consecutive Current Account Deficit; 2012 Account Surplus Lowest on Record