Japan's exports increase before Trump's tariffs.

Japan's exports increased by 7.2% in January, while imports surged 16.7%, leading to a significant trade deficit amid U.S. tariff threats.

Japan’s exports took off in January, jumping 7.2% year-over-year, thanks to businesses ramping up orders. This boost came right as Trump was about to unleash his protectionist policies. The Finance Ministry reported that cars and ships were the big stars in this export wave.

But then, imports skyrocketed by 16.7%, mostly driven by communication equipment and computers. As a result, Japan’s trade balance hit a snag, ending up with a ¥2.76 trillion ($18.2 billion) deficit—the biggest in two years! Talk about a rollercoaster ride!

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