>Numerous economists have made the point that a large trade surplus can be a sign of economic weakness Exports are real costs, imports are real benefits. A tr

>Numerous economists have made the point that a large trade surplus can be a sign of economic weakness Exports are real costs, imports are real benefits. A trade surplus can help you keep net government spending low, but there's nothing positive about that in and of itself. This is a good read about the real problems, lack of aggregate demand. Everytime government spending gets high enough to lift GDP, they pull the rug out from under the economy by raising taxes. A process they're looking to continue. http://www.inginvestment.com/idc/groups/commentary/documents/investor_education/064554.pdf http://www.inginvestment.com/idc/groups/commentary/documents... > Ordinarily, a decline in working-age population — and, thus, a decline in the supply of workers — would tighten the labor market and cause the unemployment rate to fall; in Japan’s case, however, the gradual rise in the unemployment rate and tepid job growth is occurring in spite of these demographic shifts, reflecting economic stagnation and weakness in aggregate demand.