TOKYO (AP) — Japan reports its exports rose a faster-than-expected 12 percent in March, while imports jumped nearly 16 percent from a year earlier.

The data reported Thursday suggest relatively strong foreign and domestic demand could lift growth for the world's No. 3 economy in this quarter.

The 7.23 trillion yen ($66 billion) in exports and 6.61 trillion yen ($60 billion) in imports resulted in a trade surplus of 614.7 billion yen ($5.6 billion), down 17.5 percent from a year before.

Exports to China surged 16.4 percent to 1.3 trillion yen ($11 billion) and exports to the U.S. were up 3.5 percent to 1.35 trillion yen ($12 billion).

Higher oil prices boosted imports from Middle Eastern countries by more than 45 percent, including a 75 percent jump in imports from Saudi Arabia.