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Japan's Jan-June current account surplus up 50% on surging exports

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More evidence that Japan's economy is performing remarkably well amid the pandemic (as I predicted 2 years ago). Japan's trade and investment are steaming ahead amid global lockdowns and logistics bottlenecks. Extraordinary.

Japanese journalists don't seem to understand current accounts. A really extraordinary thing these numbers is the primary surplus was at a historic high, way higher than the trade surplus, yet it doesn't appear until the end of the article.

0 ( +9 / -9 )

And the benefit of this for me?

do I get a pay rise? My standard of life ie, my fancy garage house do I get a garden?

as usual the same old families get it all. At least I’m not yet in a immigration detention center

not yet

1 ( +11 / -10 )

@blue well, service sector's is yet to recover which is was affected by the sudden fall of Japan's booming tourism Industry in the pandemic.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Primary income, which reflects returns on overseas investments, posted a surplus of 11.4 trillion yen, up 6.6 percent, to log the largest black ink since comparable data became available in 1985, due to an increase in returns on direct overseas investments.

The greatest profit margin since the height of the bubble era! A rising tide lifts all boats! All those wages and salaries should be ballooning! I know you have all felt it so let's celebrate!!

2 ( +4 / -2 )

At least the IOC will be happy that there’s no problem with the massive cash flow to be expected. Who cares for your wages , a pay rise or benefits? You know for yourself, that it’s someone who is called no one. lol

4 ( +5 / -1 )

an increase in salary would be more efficient, me thinks. But again, not holding my breath on that one...

or actual time off either. Outside of the obvious mass holiday seasons.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

I guess I must have done something right because I have a ton of travel time and cash to do it, but all in Japan because of the hassle to leave and come back.

Things will get better, but you must demand travel time for your own calendar not the government calendar.

Good economic number improvements.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

All those wages and salaries should be ballooning!

Thank the "market reforms" of a few years back for that. Corporations have since been allowed to give their workers a smaller and smaller share of their revenue.

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

Primary income, which reflects returns on overseas investments, posted a surplus of 11.4 trillion yen, up 6.6 percent, to log the largest black ink since comparable data became available in 1985, due to an increase in returns on direct overseas investments.

The greatest profit margin since the height of the bubble era! A rising tide lifts all boats!

First primary income is not “profit margin”.

Second as one who holds foreign assets with domiciled in Japan, I can tell you what happens.

I invest overseas not in Japan. When my investments produce primary income I have it reinvested straight back overseas again.

Not in Japan.

The investment is doing good for workers overseas no doubt, and me.

I’ll need to see those 3rd arrow economic reforms and less government domination of so many things in Japan before I invest here.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

The sun is rising!

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

@fxgai I was refrencing the "black ink" part of the quote. Bully for you if you are making out in this economy.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@blue

You're talking/typing as if Japan depends on tourism to live!

"In 2020, domestic travel spending generated around 95 percent of the direct travel and tourism GDP, compared to foreign visitor spending which made up 5 percent. The figure shifted significantly compared to the previous year due to the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Before COVID-19, travel and tourism accounted for about two percent of Japan’s total GDP."

"https://www.statista.com/statistics/731610/domestic-and-foreign-tourism-contribution-to-gdp-japan/"

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I’ll need to see those 3rd arrow economic reforms and less government domination of so many things in Japan before I invest here.

In other words, you've missed out on big gains in the market here, as you could have doubled your money on the Nikkei over the past 6 years, like I have done.

If you live in Japan and earn yen, Japanese equity makes very good sense, by reducing your forex risk and avoiding taxes on disbursements for non-residents/foreigners.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

@fxgai lol, the Japanese stock market went from 1 trillion in market cap in 2011 to 6.6 trillion by the end of 2020, you know?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

as you could have doubled your money on the Nikkei over the past 6 years

I’m not trying to time the market. Well done to anyone who bought a bottom in the Nikkei 6 years ago and made money, but that’s not my style. Same could have been done in any market though.

Overseas assets returns look fine, and with US stocks at all-time highs again this week (and Nikkei still more than 10,000 off all-time highs) I don’t for a second feel any envy for those holding Japan stocks (especially this year the Nikkei seems to be a laggard, again.)

If you live in Japan and earn yen, Japanese equity makes very good sense, by reducing your forex risk

On the contrary the way I see it is if one lives in Japan and earns yen, then were to invest in Japanese assets too, that’s some serious concentration of risk in Japan.

Even in the early Abenomics days when I had hopes for reforms I didn’t put all my investments in Japan.

In the long run I can’t see then Nikkei out performing the world either..

0 ( +0 / -0 )

In other words, you've missed out on big gains in the market here, as you could have doubled your money on the Nikkei over the past 6 years, like I have done.

Investing in stocks requires time and money.

Most people in Japan are part time workers without disposable income.

Even if people had that income, investing in stocks is a risk vis a vis the Lehman shock for example.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@kurisupisu

Most people in Japan are part time workers without disposable income.

Yet the retail investment industry in Japan has taken off, in case you haven't noticed.

Even if people had that income...

Household financial assets in Japan are at an all-time high.

"...investing in stocks is a risk vis a vis the Lehman shock for example."

If you built up stock holdings, Japanese or US, before the Lehman shock, you'd be raking in huge gains today. I'm OK with that kind of "risk."

A case where a poster's personal opinions and reality exist in two different universes.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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