Japan's exports surged 45.3 percent from a year earlier to 5,128.67 billion yen (56.99 billion U.S. dollars) in February, Financial Ministry data showed Wednesday.

The rise is the third straight monthly expansion, confirming the export-oriented economy is recovering from the worst economic downturn in decades.

The overall trade surplus came to 651.0 billion yen (7.2 billion dollars) in the month, soaring from the year-before surplus of 70.8 billion yen.