Japan posts its first annual trade deficit since 1980January 25, 2012 - 09:51 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Japan posted its first annual trade deficit since 1980, as data out Wednesday, Jan 25, showed a wider-than-expected trade gap in December, with analysts divided over how long it will take to return to surplus, MarketWatch reports. A persistently strong yen, a series of natural disasters, and a rise in energy imports to offset a drop in nuclear-power usage have been among the factors pushing up the deficit. For December, the Japanese trade deficit hit 205.1 billion yen ($2.63 billion), wider than a ¥150.5 billion forecast from a Dow Jones Newswires survey, but narrowing from November’s ¥684.7 billion gap. Exports for December fell 8% from a year earlier, a larger drop than projected falls of 7.9% and 7.5% from Reuters and Dow Jones Newswires, respectively. Imports rose 8.1% year-on-year. That sent the annual trade account to its first shortfall in more than three decades, totaling ¥2.49 trillion. Top stories Yerevan has dismissed Turkey’s demand to shut down the Armenian nuclear power plant as “inappropriate”. Armenia will loan 2.9 billion drams to Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh), according to a draft government decision. The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan has “strongly condemned” Armenia’s decision. Kerobyan has said that for the first time in the history of Armenia, the volume of foreign direct investments amounted to about $1 billion. Partner news | Armenia-Qatar ties discussed in Doha The Secretary of Armenia’s Security Council met with the Deputy Secretary General of the National Security Council of Qatar. ARARAT special evening dedicated to Aznavour's 100th Anniv. On May 20 ARARAT legendary Armenian brandy, celebrated the centennial of Maestro Charles Aznavour with a special event. Surveying works underway in Armenia’s Kirants Surveying works are underway in the Armenian village of Kirants in the northern Tavush province. Armenia calls for prohibiting threats of attacks on nuclear facilities Armenia has raised the need for a treaty prohibiting attacks on nuclear facilities devoted to peaceful purposes. |