HIGHLIGHTS-Japan exports fall for first time in nearly 5 yrs

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TOKYO, July 24 (Reuters) - Japan's exports unexpectedly fell
in June for the first time in nearly five years, trade data
showed on Thursday, in a sign that U.S. economic troubles have
dented export growth to China and other emerging economies.

Following are highlights of the data based on a briefing by a
Ministry of Finance official:

June trade data:

-- Overall exports fell 1.7 percent in June from a year
earlier, marking the first drop in four years and seven months.
In volume terms, they were down 1.4 percent, the first decline
since February 2007.

-- Exports to the United States fell for the 10th straight
month, with the pace of decline widening to 15.4 percent from 9.4
percent in May. Demand for Japanese cars and auto parts was
particularly weak.

-- Exports to the European Union fell 11.2 percent in June, a
slightly bigger drop than the 1.1 percent fall in May, partly due
to a fall in shipments of automobiles, fax and photocopy
machines.

-- Exports to Asia rose 1.5 percent in June, slowing from an
8.1 percent increase in May, partly due to declines in vessel
exports. The pace of increase in exports to China also slowed to
5.1 percent from 12.2 percent in May.

-- Overall imports were up 16.2 percent in June from a year
earlier, increasing for the ninth straight month. The value of
imports, at 7.021 trillion yen ($65.05 billion), was the biggest
monthly amount on record.

-- Rises in crude oil, coal and liquefied natural gas prices
inflated Japan's import bill.

-- The trade surplus in June shrank 88.9 percent from a year
earlier to 138.6 billion yen, marking the fourth straight month
of decrease.

January-June trade data

-- Exports rose 3.9 percent in January-June from the same
period of the previous year, on firm demand for Japanese
automobiles and high-quality kerosene. But the pace of increase
was slower than a 10.4 percent rise marked in July-December of
last year.

-- Imports were up 10.5 percent mostly on rises in crude oil
and liquefied natural gas prices.

-- The trade surplus shrank 42.1 percent to 2.9586 trillion
yen, the first decline since a 28.0 percent fall in the first
half of 2006.

-- Imports from China in January-June fell 1.8 percent from
the same period of last year, the first decline in nine years,
partly due to declining demand for Chinese seafood, particularly
eel. Cheap Chinese eel has been long favoured by Japanese
consumers as a summer delicacy, but demand has tumbled recently
after reports about tainted Chinese food imports.
(Reporting by Leika Kihara; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)