Replacement of Long-Term Time-Series Data in Balance of Payments Statistics in Line with the Revision of the Methodology for Measuring Sea Freight Fares

June 22, 2006
Bank of Japan
International Department

Data series from January 1996 to December 2004 in long-term time-series data^*  for "Summary Table (Current Account, Capital and Financial Account, etc.)," "Trade Balance," "Services 1 (Total, Transportation, Travel)," and "Current Account (Seasonally-adjusted)" will be replaced with data based on the revised methodology for measuring sea freight fares on July 13, 2006, when preliminary data for May 2006 are released. Following this replacement, the release of data for "Current Account (reference data based on the revised methodology for measuring sea freight fares)" will be terminated. The data based on the revised methodology are included in "Balance of Payments (After the revision of the statistical treatment of financial derivatives (from Jan. 1996))" on the Bank's web site.

• As of June 22, 2006, the data series from January 2005 onward on the Bank's web site are based on the revised methodology for measuring sea freight fares. The data series from January 1996 to December 2004 are based on the former methodology.

Also, in long-term time-series data for "Summary Table," "Services, Income, Current Transfers" in "Regional Balance of Payments (through Dec. 2004/Semiannually/before the revision of the compilation method for Transportation)" on the Bank's web site, the data series will be replaced with data based on the revised methodology for measuring sea freight fares when the data are ready for release. In addition, all semiannual data series in "Regional Balance of Payments (through Dec. 2004/Semiannually/before the revision of the compilation method for Transportation)" will be replaced with quarterly data series at the same time.

The changes described above aim to enhance usability of the data by releasing such data compiled using a consistent methodology on the Bank's web site.