Japan’s exports contracted less than expected in August as shipments to its largest trading region — Asia — rebounded, though the overall growth stayed negative for a fourth straight month. Japanese shipments fell 0.1% year on year, compared to a 2.6% fall in July. This was much softer than the 1.9% contraction expected by economists polled by Reuters. The country’s imports declined at a softer pace of 5.2%, compared to the 7.4% contraction in July, but more than the 4.2% fall expected in the Reuters poll. Exports from the world’s fourth-largest economy have fallen into negative territory as the country grapples U.S. ... (full story)