Japan's trade surplus leaped nearly 38 per cent in September from a year earlier, on strong shipments of cars, car parts and machinery to China and the US, according to customs data released on Thursday.

Exports rose 14 per cent year-on-year in value to ¥6.8 trillion ($60.3 billion) while imports climbed 12 per cent to ¥6.1 trillion. Exports to China surged 29 per cent in value, while exports to the US were up 11 per cent.

Japan's trade surplus with the US climbed five per cent from a year earlier to ¥616.6 billion. The perennial surplus is a sore point with US President Donald Trump, who is due to visit Japan early next month ahead of annual regional summits in Asia.

The ¥670.2 billion overall surplus compared with a ¥486.6 billion surplus in September 2016. The surplus was dented, however, by rising costs for imports of coal, natural gas and petroleum.

The recovery in overseas demand has been a key factor supporting growth in the world's third-largest economy. The volume of exports in August was the highest since before the 2008 global financial crisis, and surveys of manufacturers suggest that net trade is driving growth, Marcel Thieliant of Capital Economics said in a commentary.

"However, we are forecasting a slowdown in overseas GDP growth next year so exports should grow less rapidly," Thieliant said. "We expect export growth to slow from six per cent this year to 3.5 per cent next year."

China's economy has performed better than anticipated this year, helping support demand for imports from across the region. But regulators are trying to cool growth to stem a worrisome buildup in debt, and growth is likely to slip from the 6.8 per cent annual pace in the July-September quarter.

Source: Khaleej Times