1.   Also, a stronger dollar is good news for Japanese exporters, boosting overseas profits when brought back to Japan.

2.   Also keeping the dollar from extending its gains was expected selling of the U.S. currency by Japanese exporters for yen to bring profit home, traders said.

3.   An increase in the Japanese surplus sometimes depresses the dollar because that means Japanese exporters have more dollars to sell for yen to bring revenue home.

4.   An increase in the Japanese surplus undermines the dollar because it means more dollars in the hands of Japanese exporters to sell for yen to bring profits home.

5.   An increase in the trade gap hurts the dollar because it means more dollars in the hands of Japanese exporters to sell for yen.

6.   An increase of that size could boost the yen, because it means Japanese exporters have more foreign currency to convert into yen when bringing revenue home from abroad.

7.   And a weakening dollar erodes profits at Japanese exporters by making their products more expensive and less competitive overseas.

8.   An expansion in the Japanese trade surplus sometimes depresses the dollar because that means Japanese exporters have more dollars to sell for yen to bring revenue home.

9.   An increase in imports into Japan will help to reduce the surplus and cut the foreign currency Japanese exporters have to convert.

10.   An increase in the trade surplus means more dollars in the hands of Japanese exporters to sell for yen to bring profits home.