Japan's economy has been teetering in and out of recession since 1990, with real GDP growth averaging only about 1% per year, and an unemployment rate that has been getting higher year by year. Since 1990, the size of these surpluses has often been near $100 billion per year. The United States ran a trade deficit in 40 of the 45 years from 1831 to 1875, which meant that it was importing capital from abroad over that time. However, that financial capital was mostly invested in projects like railroads that brought a substantial economic payoff. A borrower nation can find itself in a bind if it does not invest the incoming funds from abroad in a way that leads to increased productivity