TOKYO, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Japanese exports rose 18.6 percent

in October from a year earlier, marking the fastest gain since

July 2010, Ministry of Finance data showed on Wednesday,

reflecting a weak yen and a pick-up in global demand.

The rise compared with the median estimate of a 16.5 percent

increase in a Reuters poll of economists, and followed an 11.5

percent gain in September. It was the eighth consecutive month

of rises.

Imports rose 26.1 percent in the year to October, against a

19.0 percent rise expected, due to the weak yen and demand for

fossil fuel to make up for nuclear energy lost since the 2011

Fukushima disaster.

As a result the country's trade balance came to a deficit of

1.09 trillion yen ($10.9 billion) in October, versus an 813.5

billion yen deficit expected by economists, logging a record 16

straight months of deficits.

On a seasonally adjusted basis, exports rose 1.5 percent in

October from the previous month.