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Official data showed Japan's trade deficit in October nearly doubled on year to US$6.7 billion.
This, as shipments to Europe sank amid the global slowdown, while a territorial spat with China also weighed.
The trade shortfall came to 549 billion yen, expanding from a year-earlier deficit of 283 billion yen as exports fell 6 percent.
Shipments to China were off 12 percent.
