According to statistics released by Japan's Ministry of Finance, Japan's ferrous scrap exports totaled 727,555 metric tons in August this year, decreasing slightly by 0.9 percent month on month and up 48.6 percent compared to August 2011, as the country's scrap exports started to recover following the earthquake and tsunami which hit Japan on March 11, 2011.
In August this year, Japanese scrap exports to South Korea totaled 480,661 metric tons, while exports to China amounted to 203,179 metric tons, increasing by 38.2 percent and down 24.9 percent respectively, both compared to July.
Meanwhile, in the first eight months of this year, Japan's scrap exports amounted to 5.5 million metric tons, increasing by 68.6 percent year on year.