TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan's trade deficit in November shrank 85.5 percent from a year earlier to 117.6 billion yen ($766 million), government data showed Wednesday, as exports hit a record for the month due to strong semiconductor-related demand.

Japan's trade balance remained in the red for the fifth consecutive month, although imports decreased 3.8 percent from a year earlier to 9.27 trillion yen.

Exports rose 3.8 percent to 9.15 trillion yen, buoyed by shipments of chip-making equipment to Taiwan and nonferrous metals to China, according to the Finance Ministry's preliminary report.

Japan had a 664.0 billion yen trade surplus with the United States, down 17.2 percent from a year earlier.

With China, Japan remained in the red for the 44th straight month, logging a deficit of 682.0 billion yen, down 4.2 percent.