According to statistics released by Japan's Ministry of Finance, Japan's nickel ore imports totaled 505,158 metric tons in March this year, rising by 42.8 percent month on month and up 70 percent compared to March 2012.
In the first quarter of the year, Japan's nickel ore imports amounted to 1.2 million metric tons, increasing by 27.5 percent year on year.
In the first three months of the current year, Japan's nickel ore imports from Indonesia accounted for 50 percent of total Japanese nickel ore imports, rising 30 percent compared to the same quarter of the previous year to 606,070 metric tons, while the Philippines exported 352,770 mt of nickel ore to Japan in the first quarter, rising 6.55 percent yaer on year. Meanwhile, New Caledonia's nickel ore exports to Japan rose by 64 percent in the period in question compared to the first quarter of 2012 to 264,505 mt.