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That compared with a 2.7 percent drop seen by economists in a Reuters poll and followed a 1.2 percent fall in February.
Imports rose 1.1 percent in the year to March, versus the median estimate for a 2.6 percent increase.
The trade balance came to a surplus of 528.5 billion yen ($4.72 billion), versus the median estimate for a 372.2 billion yen surplus.