were up 21.1 percent

Exports climbed 27.7 percent from a year earlier to $67.2 billion, the Finance Ministry said Monday.

The better-than-expected results indicate that solid overseas demand continued to underpin recovery in the world’s second-biggest economy even amid worries about a stronger yen.

Exporters generally frown when the Japanese currency strengthens, as it reduces the value of overseas earnings and makes their products more expensive abroad.

For the April-June quarter, exports expanded 33.2 percent, 경상남도출장마사지 slower than the 43.3 percent growth recorded in the previous quarter.

Exports to China, Japan’s biggest trading partner, rose 22 percent in June, while those to the U.S. were up 21.1 percent. Shipments to the European Union expanded 9 percent.

Demand for iron and steel products shot up more than 46 percent, and machinery exports jumped almost 50 percent. Motor vehicle shipments increased 40 percent.

Imports in June rose 26.1 percent to $59.3 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of $7.9 billion.