Kuwait’s trade surplus with Japan narrowed 21.7% in December to JPY 84.1b ($713m) from a year earlier, shrinking for the second month as exports fell, the Finance Ministry said Monday. Nevertheless, Kuwait maintained black ink with Japan for the 83rd consecutive month, KUNA reported. Kuwaiti overall exports to Japan shrink 17.7% year-on-year to JPY 107.0b for the second consecutive monthly decline, while imports from Japan edged up 1.2% to JPY 23.0b, up for the sixth month. Middle East’s trade surplus with Japan also declined 27.6% to JPY 927.1b last month, as Japan-bound exports from the region slid 18.9% from a year earlier.
