Japan exports tumble

Sales down: The logo of Toyota Motor Corp is seen at its gallery in Tokyo. The company expects an 80% drop in full-year operating profit. — AP

TOKYO: Japan’s exports fell the most since the 2009 global financial crisis in April, as the coronavirus pandemic slammed world demand for cars, industrial materials and other goods, likely pushing the world’s third-largest economy deeper into recession.

The ugly trade numbers come as policymakers seek to balance virus containment measures against the need to revive battered parts of the economy, with the risk of a second wave of infections only complicating this challenge.