TOKYO: Japan swung back to a trade deficit in January as exports to China plunged, official data showed on Thursday, underscoring the impact of a slowdown in one of Tokyo’s biggest trade partners.

The disappointing figures come after Japan’s economy shrank 0.4 percent in the October-December quarter—or an annualized 1.4-percent drop—owing to weak demand for big-ticket items like cars and home appliances.

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