In 2019, Japanese ferrous scrap exports added 3.4 percent year on year to 7.65 million mt, according to customs statistics, which indicated growing demand from such developing countries like Vietnam and Bangladesh in particular.
South Korea remained the biggest importer of Japanese scrap. But ex-Japan shipments to the country dropped further, by 3.2 percent year on year to 3.9 million mt. Moreover, exports to the China lost more than 1 million mt during the year and came to just 41,839 mt in 2019. The lower shipments to South Korea and China were offset by 41 percent growth of exports to Vietnam to 2.2 million mt. Moreover, ex-Japan scrap shipments to Bangladesh amounted to 318,202 mt, versus just 83,029 mt in 2018. For Taiwan, it was also more beneficial to use Japanese scrap. Shipments to this destination surged by 46 percent year on year to 653,993 mt, according to Japan’s statistics.