Japan's exports rise by 2.8 %

Japan's exports climbed 2.8 per cent in August from a year earlier to 5.36 trillion yen ($70.1 billion), a sign of recovery from the March earthquake and tsunami, the government said Wednesday. The first rise in six months was led by increases in shipments of cars, ships and metal working machinery, the Finance Ministry said in a preliminary report. Exports of ships surged 35.2 per cent, those of metal working machinery soared 29.2 per cent and shipments of cars were up 5.3 per cent, the ministry said. But imports jumped 19.2 per cent to 6.13 trillion yen, leaving the first trade deficit for three months, at 775.3 billion yen, the ministry was quoted as saying by the German Press Agency "DPA".