According to statistics released by Japan's Ministry of Finance, Japan's ferrous scrap exports totaled 378,623 metric tons in June this year, rising by 39.46 percent month on month and down 9.75 percent compared to June 2010. The country's ferrous scrap exports started to rise after the two months of decrease following the earthquake and the tsunami which hit Japan on March 11. Japan's ferrous scrap exports were recorded as 271,490 metric tons in May this year, with a 21.67 percent fall from April levels.
In June, Japan's ferrous scrap exports to China increased by 40 percent month on month to 186,220 metric tons, while a drop of 4.17 percent was registered compared to June 2010. South Korea imported 188,283 metric tons from Japan in June this year, up 41.19 percent month on month and down 9.57 percent year on year.
Meanwhile, in the January-June period of 2011, Japan's scrap exports amounted to 2.42 million metric tons, declining by 30.74 percent year on year.
In the first half of this year, Japanese scrap exports to China totaled 1.05 million metric tons, while exports to South Korea amounted to 1.33 million metric tons, decreasing by 20.19 percent and down 33.75 percent respectively, both compared to the corresponding period of the previous year.