In April, Japan recorded a trade deficit.

Preliminary statistics released by the Japanese Ministry of Finance on the 21st showed that Japan's trade deficit in April was 115.8 billion yen due to a decrease in exports of automobiles, steel, and ships. The data revealed that Japan's export value for the month was 9.1572 trillion yen, an increase of 2.0% compared to the same period last year, while import value was 9.273 trillion yen, a decrease of 2.2% year-on-year, resulting in a trade deficit of 115.8 billion yen. The data also indicated that Japan's export value in April hit a record high for the same period, with exports of semiconductors and electronic components increasing by 13.2%, food and pharmaceutical exports rising by 18.4% and 13.2% respectively, but exports of automobiles, steel, and ships decreased by 5.8%, 12.3%, and 26.2% respectively. In terms of imports, the decline of coal and oil prices led to a 2.2% decrease in import value. By region, Japan achieved a trade surplus of 780.6 billion yen with the United States in April, but exports to the US decreased by 1.8% year-on-year. The main reasons for the decrease in exports to the US were a 4.8% decrease in automobile exports, a significant 29% drop in steel exports, and a 0.8% decrease in exports of non-ferrous metals, including aluminum.