Japan's monthly trade deficit was USD 7 billion and bigger than a deficit of about USD 3.7 billion a year earlier, the Japanese Finance Ministry said on Monday.
Overall exports in September totaled USD 68.7 billion with a more-than-10-percent fall.
The imports also rose 4 percent from a year earlier to USD 75.9 billion, particularly for additional oil and other fuels needed for power generation following the nuclear reactors’ shutdown across the country.
The territorial dispute with China led to a 14-percent decline in China’s demand for Japanese cars and other products as well.
Massive protests across China and attacks on Japanese companies and factories prompted Tokyo to shut down its auto business in China temporarily in September following a refreshed row between the two states over disputed islands.
Tensions heightened between Tokyo and Beijing after Japan signed a deal on September 11 to buy three of the disputed islands in the East China Sea from their private Japanese owner in line with plans to nationalize the archipelago