The Chinese mainland surpassed the United States to become Japan's biggest trade partner in fiscal 2006 for the first time ever, according to a report released by the Japanese Finance Ministry yesterday.

In fiscal 2006, Japan's exports to the Chinese mainland climbed 21.2 percent to a record high of 11,314.5 billion yen (about US$95.9 billion), while imports from the Chinese mainland surged 13.0 percent to a record 14,113.1 billion yen (about US$119.6), according to the preliminary report.

A ministry official was quoted by Kyodo News as expecting the trend to be continued, given recent growth in Japan's exports to and imports from the Chinese mainland.