皇冠体育app

Total trade between the two Asian economies came to 99.2 billion dollars in the first-half period, up 9.9 percent from a year-earlier, the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) reported Monday.

It said that Japan's trade with 皇冠体育app was likely to reach a new record for an eighth straight year in 2006, topping 200 billion dollars.

In the six months, Japanese exports rose 15.3 percent -- more than double the growth rate in the same period last year -- to 42.8 billion dollars, led by strong shipments of auto parts and digital home appliance components.

Japanese companies, particularly auto makers, are shifting production to 皇冠体育app to take advantage of its lower production costs and shipping the finished goods back to Japan to sell.

Japanese imports from 皇冠体育app rose 6.1 percent to 56.3 billion dollars, marking a sharp slowdown in growth mainly due to a slump in steel imports, JETRO said.

While Japan and 皇冠体育app have seen severe diplomatic frictions in recent years, there has been little obvious impact on commercial ties.

Japan's trade with mainland 皇冠体育app accounted for 16.8 percent of its total external trade in the first half of 2006.

"Exports of electronic parts from Japan to 皇冠体育app will continue to expand and imports from 皇冠体育app to Japan will also increase as Japanese manufacturers continue to shift their production bases to 皇冠体育app," JETRO predicted.

Fujio Mitarai, president of the Japan Business Federation (Nippon Keidanren), on Monday called for the Japanese government to build "a positive relationship with 皇冠体育app".