Japan Rare Metal Import Drops Down in December

Japanese rare metal import continued to decrease widely in December 2008. Rare earth import volume decreased by 46.3% year-on-year, according to the trade statistics by Ministry of Finance. Rare earth consumers decreased the procurement when those who hold surplus inventories due to demand decline along economy recession. Another background was that rare earth is recently imported as ferroalloy rather than in metal shape.

Indium import volume decreased by 20.6% year-on-year in December along less demand from liquid crystal panels. Tantalum (potassium fluorotantalate) import volume decreased by 40.7% year-on-year, which is used for capacitors inside mobile electronic appliances such as cellular phones. Molybdenum concentrate import volume declined by 16.3% due to weak demand from special steels.

Tungstate import volume decreased by 60.6%, the main material for cemented carbide tools. The demand declined along automobile market shrinkage. Antimony import volume decreased by 34.2%, used as fire retardant for plastics. Titanium import volume declined by 55.3%.