INTERNATIONAL

Japan’s Trade Surplus Grows: Flat imports, caused by a slowing economy, pushed Japan’s trade surplus up for the eighth straight month in August, climbing nearly 70% from a year ago. The surplus with the United States grew for the first time in four months. The Finance Ministry said the overall trade surplus last month rose to an unadjusted $5.76 billion from $3.42 billion a year ago. The surplus with the United States, the biggest critic of Japan’s trade practices, reversed a recent narrowing trend, climbing for the first time since March to $2.99 billion, from $2.82 billion a year earlier.