TOKYO, May 21 (Reuters) – Japanese exports rose 14.8% year-on-year in April, up for an eighth straight month, data from the Ministry of Finance showed on Thursday.
The result compared with a 9.3% increase expected by economists in a Reuters poll.
Imports grew 9.7% in April from a year earlier, versus an 8.3% increase expected by economists.
As a result, the trade balance stood at a surplus of 301.9 billion yen ($1.90 billion), compared with the forecast of a deficit of 29.7 billion yen.
($1 = 158.9000 yen)
(Reporting by Tokyo Newsroom, Editing by Chang-Ran Kim)
