Japan's exports jump 23% to monthly record in July

TOKYO: Japan's exports hit a monthly record in July, underscoring resilient global demand and offering support to an economy increasingly reliant on overseas shipments to counter weak domestic demand.Total exports by value rose 23.2 per cent year-on-year to a record 11.5 trillion yen (US$72.62 billion) in July, data showed on Thursday (Aug 20), more than the median market forecast for a 19.9 per cent increase and following a 19.3 per cent rise in June.The trade figures follow separate data this week showing Japan's economy expanded for a third consecutive quarter in April-June, with strong exports helping to offset weak private consumption and business investment.The resilience of Japan's exports could support the case for the Bank of Japan to continue to normalise monetary policy, as the