TOKYO, July 18 (Xinhua) -- Japan's trade deficit in the first half of the year fell 53.7 percent to 3.23 trillion yen (about 21 billion U.S. dollars), as exports grew amid rising costs and yen's sharp depreciation, the government said in a report on Thursday.

According to the finance ministry, in the first six months, imports edged up 0.8 percent to 54.75 trillion yen, while exports totaled 51.52 trillion yen, up 8.8 percent, supported by robust auto shipments to the United States.

In June alone, Japan logged a 224 billion yen trade surplus, the first in three months, the preliminary data showed.

Exports increased 5.4 percent to 8.74 trillion yen, while imports rose 3.2 percent to 8.70 trillion yen. (1 Japanese yen equals 0.0064 U.S. dollars) Enditem

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