TOKYO (AP) -- Japan's export growth accelerated for the second straight month in December, offering an encouraging sign of stronger global demand.

Exports from the world's third-largest economy rose 13 percent from a year earlier on greater shipments of machinery and motor vehicles, the finance ministry said Thursday.

The figure is an improvement from the 9.1 percent year-on-year growth recorded in November.

Exports are a vital part of Japan's recovery, which has relied on the rest of the world to offset lackluster demand at home. A steady slowdown in export growth between February and October last year triggered concern about the direction of the economy.

On Tuesday, the central bank kept its key interest rate on hold at effectively zero and maintained its assessment of the economy. While Japan still shows signs of a moderate recovery, the recovery "seems to be pausing," the Bank of Japan said.

It described exports as "somewhat weak."

Imports rose 10.6 percent in December. That resulted in a 34 percent bigger trade surplus of 727.7 billion yen ($8.8 billion).

Exports to China, Japan's biggest trading partner, rose 20.1 percent in December from a year earlier, according to the finance ministry report. Shipments to the U.S. climbed 16.5 percent, while those to the European Union rose 9.7 percent.

For the 2010 calendar year, Japan's exports rose 24.4 percent, marking the first annual expansion in three years.