Japan posts Y558.6 bil trade deficit in September

basroil but the US has fat oil reserves,and coal. Japan has nothing. So the situation is very bad for Japan...

It will take many more years for US and EU for recovering to pre 2008 and 2011 level. Instead of Japan is heating with PRC, it needs to focus on more growth and stability. Government needs to be less nationalism and more business friendly.

Triple challenges - the yen, Europe, and now China. Certainly hope to be at the bottom.

So you have proof that Ishihara is thast much incharge of Japan's trade?

(Sigh) Maybe you missed the news, but Ishihara triggered the current dispute back in April, when he announced that he and other other Japanese business interests were going to purchase territory in the middle of nowhere hotly contested by China. As the dispute flared, Japan's central gov't felt compelled to "nationalize" the territory, and that triggered a hellvu a lot of anti-Japanese sentiment in China, leading to the 14 percent drop in Japanese trade with China.

........should of went for that TPP thing eh Noda insteaded of eatting that toxic tax increase

@basroil

Yes, fuel alone is costing Japan 2 trillion yen a month, just because people here are too addicted to oil, gas, and coal to use what other resources they have.

I take it you mean nuclear power? It's a no-win situation for Japan, but for sure, the last thing it needs now is the knock-on effects from the dispute over these silly, little rocks. Are they really worth it? Is national pride worth the consequences?

So are they going to power up the reactors again?

Japan called China "Red China" . I agree that we are controlled by communist and there is a lot of propaganda in China. A lot of people here dislike the communist. We want democracy. But China is still changing. We are doing the economic reform and political reform. I am sure that one day the human rights ( e.g: election right) will be much more respected. If you are doing business in China, you will find that it is not that different with what you are doing in capitalism country. Actually , China should be considered to be a special capitalism country, not a socialism country. In the long run, we definitely will have the right to select the top leader. It just takes time. The globalization and technology advance like internet should speed up the process.

Government needs to be less nationalism and more business friendly.

Absolutely.

Problem is government tools (regardless of what country they're in) got where they were by being good liars and manipulators, not through their understanding of economics.

If importation of oil, coal and gas are driving up the trade deficit, the obvious solution is reduced use, energy efficiency measures and a stronger move to alternatives. It's interesting that last year's September trade surplus was during a time of reduced and restricted power usage.

JoeBigs this situation has turned it into a "gold mine"opportunity for South Korea,and other nations like Germany. Korea has big disputes with Japan too. What you're gonna see is a stronger forged relationship between China and South Korea,and the only teaching that's going to happen is Japan realizing that these islands weren't worth the fight. Of course it's going to be too late when they do.....

@JoeBigs If Japan pull the capital out of China, China will be hurt temporally. But as long as China keeps good relationship with US and EU, this gap will be filled by others ( including Chinese own capital ). This may be not a too bad news to the Chinese. But markets is not replaceable. You always want more markets. Even if you exit China, you still want to export products to China. So keeping a good relation should do good to the business. The only way you can hurt China badly is to unite the US/EU to refuse doing business with China. But I doubt if Japan has the ability to do it...

If Japan boycott Chinese products, we will hurt too. Because Japan is also an important market to China. And some of Japanese technology is not replaceable. So this is a lose-lose situation.

Well, I guess the economic war continues...

This news doesn't matter

No matter how bad Japan's economy becomes and people become unemployed etc, the Japanese people won't riot and destroy their own country.

Im pretty sure there is a widening income gap between the upper class and the middle / lower class, but the average Japanese won't get upset about it

Its why I love living in Japan :)

There is a name for this-political apathy. . Japanese have been spoiled in peace too long. Why should they care?

Tai-Cheng LeeOct. 22, 2012 - 04:29PM JST

@JoeBigs If Japan pull the capital out of China, China will be hurt temporally. But as long as China keeps good relationship with US and EU, this gap will be filled by others ( including Chinese own capital ).

I think the relationship between US/China is heading to the South. And both sides realize that the political confrontation is unavoidable.

The trade deficit is mainly due to the spike in purchasing oil and other energy sources to maintain the electricity capacity to compensate in shutting down all nuclear reactors.

As I know, Japanese products are very popular in China, like car, camera, cosmetics, watch, food.. If there is no 911 (the day Japan nationalize the island), I think these products will continue to be popular. But unfortunately ,Japan is not very responsible for its actions and it keeps on arousing bad feelings in Chinese.. We are victims in the period Japan invaded China, a lot of Chinese died in the war , including a lot of civilians. Visiting the Yasukuni Shrine (which includes Class A war criminal ) is one of the best ways to remind us of the past war . Honouring the class A war criminal is a great insult to Chinese people. I think Japanese leader is lack of leadership and it is not very responsible for the Japanese people either. They care more about their future/positions. Territory issues are very tough. It is a crazy circle, one step leads to another. Japan "nationalize' the island, China send ships , Japan complained, China complained, Japan take actions, China take actions.... It is something that you just don't want to start . But once started, it is difficult to stop it. If this issues last for 50 years, both countries will suffer for 50 years.And who knows when this issue will be solved? War could just make it worse. .You may defeat the other this time, but who knows who will win the next time ? You just don't want to start this territory issue

Ossan America true,and this island dispute with China is going to be the nail in the coffin for Japan's economy ....

Here is the solution for the China Japan island Issue. 1) Let Japan keep the controlling of the Sengaku Islands. reason Japan is a small country with small area of land. But China has millions of hectors of waste lands which China do not know what to do with it 2) Let Japan make some of these desert (Gopi) to green land let them make solar energy from that area...All the investment should come from Japan. This will help both Japan and China. I wish the Chinese spies in this forum can take this proposal to their masters.. just remind every one that we are living in the modern and civilized world.. We co-operate for the betterment of whole world..

The issue is very complex and eveyone's opinion is here is true. But the biggest problem here is a corrupted politics of Japan.

damn global recession. Shipments to Europe is a bigger problem than the senkaku island problem.

The thing they don't mention is that more than 200 billion of that is in oil, gas, and coal imports. Japan will become more and more like the US if they don't do something about their addiction to oil, gas, and coal.

People who blame ishihara have no idea what they are talking about, Japan's trade balance has been suffering from a rather riducolously strong Yen for years now and they had the Mar 11th disaster last year.

"Good Bad realmindOCT. 23, 2012 - 12:48PM JST Here is the solution for the China Japan island Issue. 1) Let Japan keep the controlling of the Sengaku Islands. reason Japan is a small country with small area of land. But China has millions of hectors of waste lands which China do not know what to do with it 2) Let Japan make some of these desert (Gopi) to green land let them make solar energy from that area...All the investment should come from Japan. This will help both Japan and China. I wish the Chinese spies in this forum can take this proposal to their masters.. just remind every one that we are living in the modern and civilized world.. We co-operate for the betterment of whole world.."

Point 1 : As the Russian President put it earlier on the disputed isles to the north of Japan : not a single cm of their territory is excessive when it comes to sovereignty ; Point 2 : on a trip to the west of China a few years ago, solar & wind driven energies -- surprised to see solar panels & turbines installations were so widespread..China reportedly is by far the biggest manufacturer of solar panels ( triggered trade conflicts in US & Europe ) & wind power turbines

This news doesn't matter

No matter how bad Japan's economy becomes and people become unemployed etc, the Japanese people won't riot and destroy their own country.

Im pretty sure there is a widening income gap between the upper class and the middle / lower class, but the average Japanese won't get upset about it

Its why I love living in Japan :)

alliswellinjapanOct. 22, 2012 - 01:57PM JST

Triple challenges - the yen, Europe, and now China. Certainly hope to be at the bottom.

You forgot the biggest challenge, electricity fuel imports and rising electrical prices. The others are all external problems they cannot fix, but fuel imports cut a 6 trillion yen surplus (>80 billion dollar) in 2010 to a 4.7 trillion yen deficit so far this year, and we still have three months to go!

http://www.usnews.com/news/business/articles/2012/10/22/japan-sees-trade-deficit-in-sept-on-lower-exports Yes, fuel alone is costing Japan 2 trillion yen a month, just because people here are too addicted to oil, gas, and coal to use what other resources they have.

This should teach Japan and the world not to put all their eggs in the PRC unstable egg basket.

Time for Japan and the world to invest their funds wisely and start looking for a more secure outlet.

Japan and the world need to exit China and invest in more civilized nations.

warispeaceOct. 22, 2012 - 03:29PM JST

If importation of oil, coal and gas are driving up the trade deficit, the obvious solution is reduced use, energy efficiency measures and a stronger move to alternatives. It's interesting that last year's September trade surplus was during a time of reduced and restricted power usage.

They restricted power usage but still kept a few reactors online. It actually brought fossil fuels use down from what had initially been expected. However, the vast majority of that savings was realized though the reactors that had not yet been taken offline. Since then, fuel prices have also gone up 50%, so it's easy to see that unless you reduce demand by 50% (or more) that there will never be a surplus again.

marcelitoOct. 22, 2012 - 10:53AM JST Well done Ishihara.

So you have proof that Ishihara is thast much incharge of Japan's trade?

Please if you do post your proof so the world can see.

But, if this is just speculation then try to keep it there.

Ishihara does not cotrol the PRC propaganda machine nor does he control the PRC's Special Operations Forces, those are under the direct control of they are under direct control of the PLAGF.

Reality is a great place to visit once you realize what nation you represent.