Asia Intelligence Brief — March 18, 2026

2026-03-18 - 18:40

What Matters Today 1 Japan exports beat forecasts at 4.2% but shipments to China plunge 10.9% and US drop 8% — semiconductor exports surge 25.1%; trade surplus ¥57.3 billion (~$360 million) reverses deficit; BoJ meets tomorrow; Takaichi warns of “extremely difficult” Trump summit Thursday Japan’s Finance Ministry reported Wednesday that exports grew 4.2% year-on-year in