and we think we have it bad ...

[muldoon]

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/japans-trade-surplus-dives-99/story.aspx?guid={2FFA3454-000B-4F92-8E02-26FB6C0F4C82}

Japan's trade surplus dives 99% in March as exports plunge
By V. Phani Kumar
Last update: 8:18 p.m. EDT April 21, 2009

HONG KONG (MarketWatch) -- Japan's trade surplus shriveled by 99% in March from the year-earlier month as exports tumbled even more rapidly than the sharp decline in imports, official data showed Wednesday. The trade surplus for the month was 10.96 billion yen ($109.6 million), compared with 1.1 trillion yen in March 2008, according to provisional figures. Despite the small surplus in March, Japan's trade balance for the year ended March 31 showed a deficit of 725.3 billion yen, the country's first trade deficit in 28 years, according to Kyodo news service. Japanese exports dropped 16.4% to 71.1 trillion yen, while imports narrowed 4.1% to 71.9 trillion yen. End of Story

99% drop in year over year.  from 1.1 trillion to 0.1 trillion.  holy schmoly. 

anyone calling for a dollar collapse should take notice.  they damn sure wont be running into the yen.