Japan High Cu Export for China, Al Scrap for Korea in 2007

Japanese annual export of electrolytic copper (cathode copper) increased by 36.5% to 391,684 tonnes in 2007 from 2006, which increased by 41% year-on-year to 189,083 tonnes bound for China where demand for copper maintained strong under rapid economy growth, according to the trade statistics by Ministry of Finance. Japanese annual export of copper scrap also kept the high level, up by 3.1% to 424,668 tonnes in 2007 from 2006.The annual export of primary aluminium ingot decreased by 44% year-on-year in 2007 while aluminium alloy ingot increased by 25.9%. Demand for aluminium alloy ingot seemed to increase from Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam where automobile related industries are in active operations.Japanese annual export of aluminium scrap increased by 5.6% year-on-year in 2007, which expanded to 8,154 tonnes bound for South Korea, 5 times as much as 2006. Most aluminium scrap for South Korea seemed to be used beverage can (UBC) and utilized as deoxidizing agent for steel making. UBC supply has tightened and the market price kept high in Japan since spring 2007 due to the export increase for South Korea. Japanese UBC export for South Korea is estimated to maintain the high level in 2008.