Japan Aluminium and Copper Ingot Import Increases in June

Japanese import of primary aluminium increased by 11.8% to 167,770 tonnes in June from a year ago, according to Ministry of Finance. The sum of primary aluminium and aluminium alloy kept almost flat at 256,407 tonnes in June from a year earlier, though the import of aluminium alloy decreased by 12.9% to 88,637 tonnes. The import reflected the firm demand for aluminium ingot from domestic automotive industries.The import of electrolytic copper (cathode copper) was 10,565 tonnes in June, 2.7 times as much as June 2006. The import from Indonesia was 3,534 tonnes in June while there was no electrolytic copper import from the country a year ago. Mitsubishi Materials imported electrolytic copper from its smelting subsidiary in Indonesia due to the seasonal maintenance at Naoshima smelter in Kagawa Prefecture, Japan.The import of copper scrap decreased by 6.1% in June from a year ago. Domestic copper scrap supply is tightening when overseas demand is strong mainly in China.