Japan Scrap Purchase Volume Rises to 28.34 million tonnes in 2005

Japanese buyers’ ferrous scrap purchase from domestic sources decreased by 670,000 tonnes to 28.345 million tonnes in 2005 from 2004 due to lower raw steel output by electric furnace steel makers. The purchase volume decreased while converters used more scrap. Domestic scrap shipment decreased by 40,000 tonnes to 35.383 million tonnes. The shipment increased in Kanto, Tokai, Hokuriku, Tohoku and Kyushu areas.Japanese electric furnaces decreased the scrap consumption by 898,000 tonnes to 29.629 million tonnes in 2005 from 2004, according to annual report 2006 by Japan Ferrous Raw Materials Association. The electric furnace steel output decreased by 918,000 tonnes to 28.844 million tonnes. The converters increased the scrap consumption by 658,000 tonnes to 10.485 million tonnes while the raw steel output decreased by 671,000 tonnes to 83.627 million tonnes.