Japan’s copper scrap imports fell by 28.5pc in November from the prior year, on weak demand for finished copper products. Japan imported 15,546mt of copper scrap in November, down by 6,197mt from the prior year. In the Jan-Nov period, Japan imported 213,744mt of copper scrap, up by 3pc from the previous year.
Demand for Japanese copper rolled products dropped in November amid a slowdown in global demand for semiconductors and drop in China’s automobile sales. Japan’s output of copper and copper alloy products in November dropped by 14pc from the prior year. Output of copper products is expected to fall below 800,000mt for the first time in three years, according to Japan’s brass and copper association. In the Jan-Nov period, Japan produced 693,188mt of copper and alloy products.
US was the top supplier of copper scrap, exporting 2,425mt to Japan. The US exports dropped by 2,692mt or 52.6pc from November last year. Japan’s imports of copper scrap from Thailand also dropped by 1,758mt or 45.3pc from the previous year. Imports of copper concentrates also dropped by 31pc in November. Japan imported 288,099mt of copper concentrates in November, down by 129,735mt from the previous year.