Japan’s trade recovery powered into 2018, with exports and imports registering strong growth. The increase in imports resulted in the first monthly trade deficit since May 2017. Key Takeaways Japan enjoyed a strong export recovery in 2017 that helped push the nation’s economy to the longest expansion in nearly 30 years. Rising imports, a sign of improving domestic demand, indicate the Bank of Japan is making progress in its efforts to generate a self-sustaining economic recovery. A surging yen, though, is a risk. It will make imports cheaper, weighing on inflation, while cutting into exporters’ profits. Economist ... (full story)