Tokyo  - Japan's trade surplus narrowed 80 per cent to 2.16 trillion yen (24.1 billion dollars) in 2008 from a year earlier as imports increased on surging oil prices and exports shrank amid the global economic slowdown, the Finance Ministry said Thursday.

Exports fell 3.4 per cent to 81.05 trillion yen in 2008 for the first fall in seven years because of automotive and semiconductor export declines.

Imports grew 7.9 per cent to a record 78.9 trillion yen on price hikes of natural resources.

In December alone, Japan logged a trade deficit of 320.7 billion yen.

Exports declined 35 per cent to 4.83 trillion yen year-on-year, and imports fell 21.5 per cent to 5.15 trillion yen.

The trade figures are measured on a customs-cleared basis before adjustment for seasonal factors. (dpa)