According to statistics released by
Japan's Ministry of Finance,
Japan's ferrous
scrap exports totaled 636,141 metric tons in December 2011, rising by 3.2 percent month on month and up 13.5 percent compared to December 2010.
Meanwhile, in 2011
Japan's
scrap exports amounted to 5.45 million metric tons, declining by 15.6 percent year on year. After the earthquake which hit
Japan on March 11, month-on-month decreases were recorded in the country's
scrap exports in April and May, and again in September and November.
In 2011, Japanese
scrap exports to South Korea totaled 2.86 million metric tons, while exports to
China amounted to 2.44 million metric tons, decreasing by 14 percent and down 26.65 percent respectively, both compared to the previous year.