Japan's trade deficit halves in 1st half

According to The Jiji News, Japan's trade deficit halved in the first half of the year from a year before as a weaker yen helped to lift exports of automobiles and semiconductor-related items, the Finance Ministry said.
The country posted a customs-cleared trade deficit of 3,234.5 billion yen for the six-month period, down 53.7 pct from a year before, the Finance Ministry said in a preliminary report. The dollar rose 12.5 pct to 150.89 yen during the period.
Exports rose 8.8 pct to 51,516.9 billion yen. Vehicle exports climbed 13.9 pct, led by hybrid vehicles to the Unites States.
Imports inched up 0.8 pct to 54,751.4 billion yen. Imports of coal and liquefied natural gas fell, while those of personal computers and aircraft from the United States increased.

https://sp.m.jiji.com/english/show/34320