OREANDA-NEWS. After a significant decrease in 2009 following the financial crisis, the value of European Union (EU) imports of goods from Japan recovered until 2011 and then fell continuously to stand in 2014 at €54.6 bn, the lowest level recorded over the last ten years. Exports, which declined only slightly in 2009, then recovered more strongly to reach a peak of €55.7 bn in 2012, and then slightly decreased over the following years to €53.3 bn in 2014. As a result, the EU trade deficit with Japan, which had constantly been above €20.0 bn between 2004 and 2011, has considerably reduced during the last three years to be almost in balance in 2014 at -€1.3 bn.