Japan’s imports of unwrought aluminium alloy dropped by 29pc in May to 70,983mt from 100,471mt in the prior-year period. A significant drop in demand from the automotive industry due to COVID-19-related closures led to a drop in demand for aluminium alloys.
Imports of the alloys from China dropped by 68pc to 10,921mt from 33,843mt in May 2019, as the domestic demand for alloys soar due to a lack of aluminium scrap supply. Chinese importer’s scrap quotas were close to being exhausted in May.
Aluminium alloy imports from the UAE into Japan also dropped by 34pc to 12,959mt, however imports from Russia rose by 15pc to 16,938mt from the prior-year period.
Copper
Japan’s imports of copper scrap also dropped by 36pc in May to 13,160mt from 20,537mt in the prior-year period, on low demand caused by COVID-19-related closures. The trade routes remained the same. Japan’s imports of copper scrap from Thailand dropped by 16pc, from the US by 8pc and from Saudi Arabia by 63pc.
| Japan imports | May-20 | May-19 | % change |
| Copper scrap | 13,160 | 20,537 | -36% |
| Thailand | 2,536 | 3,013 | -16% |
| US | 2,508 | 2,725 | -8% |
| Saudi Arabia | 1,007 | 2,732 | -63% |
| Unwrought aluminium alloy | 70,983 | 100,471 | -29% |
| Russia | 16,938 | 14,783 | 15% |
| UAE | 12,959 | 19,783 | -34% |
| China | 10,921 | 33,843 | -68% |