TOKYO, Jan. 24 (Xinhua) -- Japan logged a goods trade surplus of 359.0 billion yen (3.25 billion U.S. dollars) in December, the Finance Ministry said in a report on Wednesday.

According to the ministry's preliminary report, exports increased 9.3 percent compared to a year ago, while imports jumped 14.9 percent in the recording period.

Japan marked its second successive year of black ink in 2017, booking a trade surplus of 2.99 trillion yen (27.11 billion U.S. dollars), the finance ministry also said.