Japan’s international trade activity continued to decline in December with a 4.9% slip in imports and 6.3% slide in exports. Both were slower rates than the prior three months, repeating a trend seen in South Korea but well behind China’s 7.6% export surge. Trade with South Korea continued to decline for a 14th straight month as the two countries trade spat continued. In common with China’s recovery, the electronics industry has seen a recovery with Japan’s exports of semiconductor manufacturing equipment having jumped 25.8% higher than a year earlier in December. Chip manufacturers may ...