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TOKYO - Japan's trade surplus fell 88.9 per cent in June from a year earlier as imports grew amid soaring prices for oil prices and other commodities, the government announced Thursday.

The Finance Ministry said the surplus shrank to 138.6 billion yen (US$1.28 billion), marking the fourth straight month of decline.

Overall imports grew 16.2 per cent to 7.21 trillion yen ($66.76 billion) in June, while exports dipped 1.7 per cent to 7.16 trillion yen ($66.30 billion), the ministry said.

Japan's politically sensitive trade surplus with the United States fell by 40.2 per cent, down for the 10th straight month on slower exports of cars, auto parts and mineral fuels.

The country's trade surplus with Asia dipped 6.3 per cent, falling for the first time in three months due to rising imports of oil, natural gas and coal, the ministry said. The trade surplus with China fell 65.5 per cent.

Japan's trade surplus in the first half of 2008, meanwhile, fell 42.1 per cent from a year earlier to 2.959 trillion yen ($27.40 billion), the ministry said Thursday. Imports grew 10.5 per cent, outpacing exports that increased 3.9 per cent.