TOKYO (AP) \u2014 Japan recorded a trade deficit in May, the first in four months, as imports of electrical machinery surged, helping to offset a jump in exports, the Finance Ministry reported Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Preliminary data showed Japan\u2019<\/a> s exports rose 17% in May from the same month last year to 9.51 trillion yen ($59.4 billion), while imports rose 12.5% to 9.89 trillion yen ($61.8 billion).<\/p>\n That left a deficit of 378.6 billion yen ($2.4 billion).<\/p>\n Oil and gas imports fell 1.8% year-on-year due to the Iran war and blockade of the Strait of Hormuz<\/a>.<\/p>\n A fifth of the world\u2019s oil passed through strait until Feb. 28, when the U.S. and Israel began attacking Iran. Japan has sought to diversify its suppliers.<\/p>\n Imports of electrical machinery jumped 31.5% as the boom in artificial intelligence<\/a> generated strong demand for computer chips and other components.<\/p>\n Higher prices also have pushed the value of both exports and imports higher. Japan exported fewer vehicles in May but the value of those shipments rose more than 13%. While imports of oil fell 28.5% in value, they plunged 57.3% in volume.<\/p>\n The weak yen was also a factor in boosting imports. The U.S. dollar has been trading at about 160 Japanese yen lately. A year ago, it was at 140 yen levels.<\/p>\n