Japan’s ferrous scrap exports surged by 50pc in March 2020, and by 14pc in FY2020 (April 2019 – March 2020) from the respective prior-year periods on increased demand from Vietnam. Vietnamese mills preferred to buy ferrous scrap from competitively priced Japan instead of US-origin material. Japan’s domestic demand for ferrous scrap also dropped during this time, causing suppliers to look towards exporting their material.
Japan’s secondary aluminium alloy, ADC12’s imports dropped by 5pc in March 2020, and by 10pc in FY2020 on low demand from Japanese automakers. Supply from China’s alloy makers also declined due to COVID-19 related lockdowns.
| Japan exports | Mar-20 | Mar-19 | % change | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | % change |
| Ferrous scrap | 866,254 | 579,135 | 50 | 8.3mn | 7.3mn | 14 |
| South Korea | 285,580 | 285,944 | -1.3 | 3.6mn | 4mn | -10 |
| Vietnam | 260,176 | 187,816 | 38.5 | 2.6mn | 1.6mn | 62.5 |
| Japan imports | Mar-20 | Mar-19 | % change | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | % change |
| Copper scrap | 13,733 | 21,898 | -37 | 203,941 | 246,551 | -17 |
| Thailand | 2,668 | 3,407 | -21 | 31,419 | 46,825 | -33 |
| US | 1,757 | 4,263 | -59 | 30,515 | 41,543 | -26 |
| Saudi Arabia | 1,230 | 2,463 | -50 | 26,729 | 25,854 | 3 |
| Aluminium alloy | 86,485 | 91,505 | -5 | 1.13mn | 1.25mn | -10 |
| Russia | 18,670 | 15,149 | 23 | 202,488 | 245,680 | -17 |
| UAE | 17,452 | 17,040 | 2.4 | 216,068 | 205,767 | 5 |
| China | 10,887 | 26,619 | -59 | 290,899 | 370,621 | -21 |