Yoshiaki Nohara

Japan’s Trade Minister Ryosei Akazawa will attend a gathering of trade chiefs hosted by China this week as Tokyo seeks to keep dialogue open with Beijing amid tense relations.

Japan’s trade balance unexpectedly stayed in the black for a third consecutive month on strong exports and a sharp drop in energy imports.

Exports remained robust, with chip exports rising 44% amid strong demand for artificial intelligence-related products.

Japanese Trade Minister Ryosei Akazawa said it would be natural to seek communication with his Chinese counterpart Wang Wentao when they both attend an international conference starting Friday, as Tokyo aims to engage with China amid strained ties.

Japanese Trade Minister Ryosei Akazawa and Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao had a brief chat on Friday, the first ministerial-level exchange of words between the two nations since a diplomatic standoff started last November.

Japan has sent senior officials to Russia to keep communication channels open and protect the assets of Japanese companies operating there, in what Tokyo says is the latest in a series of visits that have taken place since the war in Ukraine began.

Japan’s economy grew at a still solid pace at the start of the year even after the turbulence in Iran prompted businesses to cut investment.

Japan's economy grew at a still-solid pace at the start of the year even after the turbulence in Iran prompted businesses to cut investment.

Japan’s trade balance swung to a deficit for the first time in four months as imports of chips and other electronic components soared.

The deficit suggests trade may weigh on growth in the second quarter, when economists largely expect a slowdown due to the impact of the war in Iran.