Japan logs current account deficit for 2nd month in December

TOKYO, Feb 8 (Reuters) - Japan logged a current account deficit for a second straight month in December, resulting in its smallest annual surplus on record in 2012, Ministry of Finance data showed on Friday, as weak global demand hurt exports and as energy imports rose. The deficit in December stood at 264.1 billion yen ($2.8 billion). It compared with a median forecast for a 144.2 billion yen deficit in a Reuters poll of economists, and followed a 222.4 billion yen deficit in November. It was the first time that Japan had posted a current account deficit for two consecutive months, according to data available since 1985. For 2012, the current account surplus fell 50.8 percent from the previous year to 4.7 trillion yen ($50.4 billion). That marked both the fastest pace of decline and the lowest level on record for the country's annual surplus. For the full tables, see the MOF's website of at http://www.mof.go.jp/internationaltpolicy/reference/balancetoftpayments/prelimin a r y / b p 2 0 1 2 1 2 . p d f ($1 93.2100 Japanese yen)

(Reporting by Stanley White; Editing by Chris Gallagher)