Japan's global exports came alive in October with a 3.7% jump compared to last year, according to new government data released on Friday. But there’s a twist — exports to the US dropped by 3.1%, marking the seventh straight month of decline. Why this mixed story? The shadow of US tariffs looms large. President Donald Trump announced a trade deal in July with Japan, bringing in a 15% tax on Japanese imports. This rate is lower than the 25% Trump initially threatened to start in August. Before this, tariffs on most Japanese goods were just 2.5%. Digging into the details, Japan’s soybean imports surged an astonishing 37.3% compared to last year. On the flip side, imports of iron and steel products slipped by 17.1%. Imports from the US shot up 20.9%, mainly driven by food items like cereal and also petroleum. Exports to the US struggled in key sectors like computer parts, machinery, buses, and trucks, all seeing a fall. But here’s the juicy bit – exports to Asian neighbors, including China, painted a rosier picture. Japan’s shipments to China grew 2.1% in October from last year, while exports to Hong Kong soared 19.2% and Taiwan jumped 17.7%. Thanks to this Asian trade boom, Japan narrowed its overall trade deficit to 231.77 billion Yen (about USD 1.5 billion) last month — a big improvement from the 499.95 billion Yen (USD 3.2 billion) deficit a year ago. However, fresh clouds are gathering on the horizon. Japan’s new Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, the first woman to hold the post, made comments about Taiwan that angered China. Beijing quickly warned its citizens against traveling to Japan, signaling strained relations. Experts say Japan might now shift gears, trying to boost exports more to Asian countries than relying on the tricky US market. It’s a strategic play to keep Japan’s economy running strong amid global trade tensions! So, will Asia become Japan’s new export superstar? Time will tell.