Japan’s non-ferrous exports increased by 35pc for aluminum scrap and 60.5pc for copper scrap in the first half of the year. Copper scrap imports rose by 14.6pc in the same period, according to the country’s Customs data.
Aluminum scrap exports stood at 205,618mt in H1 2021 compared with 151,940mt in the same period of 2020, while copper scrap cargoes from the country increased to 241,532mt from 150,457mt. Imports of copper scrap stood at 95,463mt against 83,318mt within the same time frame.
Aluminum scrap
In June, Japan exported 37,722mt of aluminum scrap, up 35pc from 27,897mt in the same month of last year. The largest importer of aluminum scrap from Japan was China, recording an 83pc increase in shipments at 10,576mt in June from 5,784mt in June 2020. South Korea followed in second place, despite an 8pc decline to 9,121mt from 9,942mt within the same period.
Copper scrap
Japan exported 38,379mt of copper scrap in June, up 40pc from 27,387mt in the same month last year, and imported 15,480mt of copper scrap, up 16pc from 13,309 within the same period.
China was also the biggest importer of copper scrap from the country with a 104pc increase to 21,793mt in June from 10,667mt in June 2020. Malaysia was in second place, despite an 18pc decline to 8,378mt in June from 10,206mt in the same month last year.
The largest exporter of copper scrap to Japan was Thailand with a 26pc jump to 3,244mt in June from 2,579 in June 2020. Saudi Arabia was the second-largest exporter with shipments from the country rising more than five times to 2,096mt from 412mt within the same period.