Japan Nonferrous Metal Import Maintains Low in July

Japanese nonferrous metal import represented year-to-year minus for all items except for anode copper in July, according to the trade statistics by Ministry of Finance. Domestic demand still maintained weak. Meanwhile, year-to-year minus ranges narrowed compared with June.

Cathode copper import decreased by 51% to 5,483 tonnes in July from a year earlier, though which was the largest volume since economy deterioration in and after September 2008. Anode copper import increased by 1.5% from a year earlier and hit the highest since July 2008.

Primary aluminium import exceeded 10,000 tonnes for the first time since January 2009 thanks to steady demand from can materials, though which decreased by 36% to 110,028 tonnes in July from a year earlier. Aluminium alloy import represented year-to-year 43% minus but expanded by 2.8 times from the recent bottom in May. Demand gradually recovered from carmakers.