Tokyo, May 23 (IANS) Japan's trade deficit in April hit 520 billion yen (about $6.5 billion) amid expanding demand for oil and gas imports, a government report said Wednesday.
The value of imports for the recording month surged 8.0 percent from a year earlier to 6,087 billion yen, while exports climbed 7.9 percent to 5,567 billion yen, according to a report released by the finance ministry.
The world's third largest economy had recorded the worst trade deficit in the fiscal year 2011 which ended in March due to rising imports of oil and gas after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami disaster last year, reported Xinhua.
All of the country's 50 commercial reactors are suspended, leading to a power shortage across the country.

