Japan's Apr. - Sep. Current Account Plunges As Import Prices Jump
Japan's current account surplus in the April-to-September period stood at about 4.8 trillion yen, or roughly 33 billion dollars.
Data released by the Finance Ministry on Wednesday shows the figure plunged nearly 6.9 trillion yen, or about 47 billion dollars, from the same period last year.
The current account is a measure of Japan's trade and investment with the rest of the world.
Soaring crude oil and other energy prices, as well as a rapid weakening of the yen, boosted the value of imports.