Japanese Surplus $89.7 Billion

TOKYO — Japan posted a trade surplus of $8.085 billion in March, bringing its surplus for fiscal 1986, which ended March 31, to a record $89.772 billion, the Finance Ministry announced today.

The fiscal trade surplus was up 41% from the previous record $52.602 billion recorded in 1985. The announcement came at a time when Japan is under increasing pressure from the United States and other trading partners to reduce persistent trade imbalances in Japan’s favor. Japan’s trade surplus with the United States decreased slightly in March, to $3.783 billion from $3.798 billion a year earlier.