NEW YORK – The U.S. goods trade deficit with Japan shrank by 26.2 percent in September from the previous month to $4.84 billion, thanks to a drop in auto and auto parts imports, the Commerce Department said Friday.

The same measure also decreased with China by 0.7 percent to $34.64 billion, with Mexico by 7.7 percent to $5.70 billion and with Germany by 3.4 percent to $5.36 billion, the department said.

Globally, the U.S. deficit in trade of both goods and services widened 1.7 percent to $43.50 billion after a decline in the previous month.

Exports rose 1.1 percent to $196.82 billion for the second consecutive month of growth, while imports increased 1.2 percent to $240.31 billion for the fifth straight monthly gain.

The average import price per barrel of crude oil was $45.16 in September, up from $44.11 in August.

The global trade figures are measured on a balance-of-payments basis after seasonal adjustment, and the country-by-country and regional breakdowns are based on unadjusted customs-cleared data.