Japan imported 46,784mt of copper scrap in Q1 2021, a slight increase from 42,290mt imported in the same quarter last year, according to Japanese Customs data. Exports of the material during the same period tallied at 120,383mt, up from 81,563mt.
In March, the country imported 16,857mt of copper scrap, up 23pc from 13,733mt in the same month last year while the material’s exports from the country more than doubled during the same timeframe to 58,395mt from 28,187mt.
Imports from the US remained unchanged at 1,757mt last month from March 2020, while shipments from Thailand, which remained the largest exporter of copper scrap to Japan increased by 55pc to 4,144mt in March from 2,668mt in the same period last year. Imports from the Philippines and Malaysia, on the other hand, declined by 11pc to 1,458mt and 1,263mt from 1,645mt and 1,419mt, respectively, in the same period.
Japan’s exports to China increased more than three times in March to 33,167mt from 10,265mt in the same month last year, making China the largest importer of Japanese copper scrap. Malaysia, which was the largest importer of copper scrap from Japan last year, slipped to the second position with 15,520mt of scrap, even though its imports grew by 41pc from the previous year.
The country’s copper scrap exports to Thailand rose by 5pc to 2,634mt in March from 2,509mt on an annual basis while shipments to South Korea increased by 31pc to 1,953mt from 1,496mt during the same period.