TOKYO, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Japan logged a current account surplus for the 57th consecutive month in March, the government said in a report on Tuesday.
According to the Finance Ministry, in the recording month, the current account surplus stood at 2.85 trillion yen (26.09 billion U.S. dollars).
Reflecting returns made on investments abroad, the primary income booked a surplus of 2.06 trillion yen (18.85 billion U.S. dollars), the ministry also said in its preliminary report.
Japan has been running a surplus in the current account, one of the widest gauges of international trade, helped by solid income from foreign investments.
Japan's current account surplus is one of the broadest measures of its trade with the rest of the world.
The data is keenly eyed by the Bank of Japan (BOJ) and the Finance Ministry ahead of new potential policy changes or monetary easing or tapering measures.
In Japan, the current account surplus increases the nation's net foreign assets by the corresponding amount, and a current account deficit does the opposite.
Both the Japanese government's and private payments are included in the calculation and it is called the current account because goods and services are generally consumed in the current period.
The Finance Ministry also said Tuesday that in fiscal 2018 ended in March, Japan booked a current account surplus of 19.41 trillion yen (177.67 billion U.S. dollars).
