Japan Reports Trade Deficit: Japan reported a...

Japan Reports Trade Deficit: Japan reported a trade deficit for the first time in six years with a current account shortfall for the month of January. The current account, the broadest measure of trade in goods and services, was $636 million in deficit after a $2.51-billion surplus a year earlier, the Finance Ministry said. Analysts said factors involved in the decrease, such as the initial depressing effects of a weaker yen on trade, higher oil prices and slowing auto exports, will continue at least for the first quarter of 1990. The seasonally adjusted figure for January was in surplus by some $3 billion, economists noted.