Last month, according to the Finance Ministry, Japan's surplus with the rest of the world reached a record $9.24 billion.

Overall, the state's gross surplus for the 1986-87 fiscal year reached a record $385.2 million.

For the year, the surplus could reach a record $10 billion, compared with $7.3 billion in 1986, association officials said.

In 1983, the surplus should reach $1 billion-and continue growing rapidly.

Forecasts were that the surplus, if unchecked, would reach $10 billion this year.

The surplus with the United States reached a record $114.7 billion, up from $80 billion a year earlier and $28 billion in 2001.

If the surplus reaches $600 million, as some project, that could mean a total of $85 million.

Next year's projected $147 billion Social Security surplus will reach $235 billion by 2009.

Its surplus with the United States reached $4.84 billion last month, half of America's world trade deficit.

That surplus reached $95 billion in 1988, of which 55 percent was with the United States.