Japan logged a goods trade surplus in July of of 418.8 billion yen (3.8 billion U.S. dollars), the Finance Ministry said Thursday.

The figure compares to median economists' forecasts for a 392.0-billion-yen surplus.

According to the ministry, on a customs-cleared basis, exports increased 13.4 percent in the recording month from a year earlier, owing to recovery in external demand following last month's soft reading.

The latest export data came in slightly lower than median expectations and comes on the heels of a 9.7-percent rise a month earlier.

The ministry's data also showed that imports in July rose 6.3 percent, compared to median estimates for a 17-percent increase.