According to statistics released by Japan's Ministry of Finance, Japan's ferroalloy imports totaled 133,681 metric tons in May this year, decreasing by 6.1 percent month on month and down 15.2 percent compared to May 2011.
Meanwhile, in the first five months of 2012, Japan's ferroalloy imports amounted to 653,695 metric tons, decreasing by 9.7 percent year on year.
In the first five months of the current year, Japan's ferroalloy imports from South Africa fell by 10 percent compared to the same period last year to 133,731 metric tons, while Kazakhstan exported 126,515 mt of ferroalloy to Japan in the first five months of this year, down 8.1 percent year on year.