Tokyo  - Japan's trade surplus widened 388 per cent to 508 billion yen (5.43 billion dollars) in June from the same month a year before, marking its first year-on-year rise in 20 months, the Finance Ministry said Thursday.

Exports plunged 35.7 per cent to 4.6 trillion yen, and imports tumbled 41.9 per cent to 4.09 trillion yen, the ministry said in a preliminary report.

Japan is in the midst of its worst postwar recession in large part because its manufacturers have seen their exports plummet as the global economic crisis has dried up demand. Despite June's continued drop in exports, the fall moderated from May's 41-per-cent plunge and April's 39-per-cent drop.

In trade with the United States, Japan's exports fell 37.6 per cent to 766.02 billion yen and imports shrank 37.9 per cent to 488.40 billion yen.

The trade surplus with the US dropped 37.1 per cent to 277.63 billion yen.

With the rest of Asia, exports declined 30.1 per cent to 2.51 trillion yen, and imports were also down 31.7 per cent to 1.86 trillion yen.

The trade surplus with Asia narrowed 25.1 per cent to 651.74 billion yen.

Japan's exports with the European Union fell 41.4 per cent to 560.37 billion yen, and imports decreased 26.2 per cent to 469.90 billion yen.

That trade surplus plunged 71.6 per cent to 90.48 billion yen.

During the six months of the year, Japan's trade surplus shrank 99.7 per cent from a year earlier to 8.3 billion yen. Exports were down 42.7 per cent at 24 trillion yen, and imports also dipped 38.6 per cent to 24 trillion yen.

Trade figures are measured on a customs-cleared basis before adjustment for seasonal factors. (dpa)