Russia-Japan trade turnover drops over 2 times in 2009.

16/2 Tass 116

TOKYO, February 16 (Itar-Tass) -- Under the influence of the global
crisis, the volume of trade between Russia and Japan in 2009 slightly
exceeded 40 percent of the level of 2008, however, some positive
tendencies have begun to show in the situation of late.

According to statistics of the Japanese Finance Ministry received by
ITAR-TASS on Tuesday, from January to December, trade turnover between the
two countries amounted to about 1.132 trillion yens - - approximately
12.09 billion dollars according to the weighted mean exchange rate of this
department.
In 2009, Japan imported goods from Russia worth almost 825 billion
yens (8.2 billion dollars) - - approximately 2.7 times more than it
exported there. At the same time, Japan's export to Russia dropped by more
than five times in comparison with 2008 and reduced to the level of 307
billion yens - - about 3.3 billion dollars.
Supplies of cars and other transport means to Russia dropped
especially appreciably. At the same time, the export of Japanese medicines
and computer equipment to Russia increased at the end of the year. Japan,
for its part, increased purchases of crude oil, ores and non-ferrous
metals in Russia.
Earlier, the volume of bilateral trade had been growing during ten
years in succession and reached a record-high mark by the end of 2008,
reaching about 30 billion dollars. However, trade turnover began to
sharply drop already in the last few months of this year under the
influence of acute crisis phenomena in the world economy and reduction of
demand in both countries.
-0-ast