According to statistics released by Japan's Ministry of Finance, Japan's nickel ore imports totaled 363,512 metric tons in May this year, rising by 0.7 percent month on month and up 156.2 percent compared to May 2011.
Meanwhile, in the first five months of of 2012, Japan's nickel ore imports amounted to 1.68 million metric tons, increasing by 21.9 percent year on year.
In the first five months of the current year, Japan's nickel ore imports from Indonesia accounted for 50 percent of total Japanese nickel ore imports, down by 1.8 percent compared to the same period last year to 838,205 metric tons, while the Philippines exported 512,509 mt of nickel ore to Japan in the first five months of this year, rising 177 percent year on year. Meanwhile, New Caledonia's nickel ore exports to Japan rose 4.7 percent year on year in the period in question to 331,994 mt.