Japan’s aluminium scrap import and recycled aluminium production drop in the first seven months of 2019

Japan does not produce primary aluminium but is a key producer of aluminium semi-finished products. For the aluminium raw material it is dependent on imports and secondary recovery.

As shown by the data from Japan Aluminium Association, Japan produced 472,000 tonnes of secondary aluminium in the first seven months of 2019. The production dropped 2% from 481,500 tonnes produced in the same period of 2018.

For the whole year 2018, Japan produced 827,000 tonnes of secondary aluminium, which was about three per cent more from 2017. Based on the current rate of production, total secondary or recycled aluminium production in Japan is likely to stand at about 810,000 tonnes in 2019.

The major part of recycled aluminium is produced from domestically procured scraps coming from its growing automotive sector. Japan imported about 54,000 tonnes of aluminium scrap in 2018 and in the first seven months of 2019, the country imported 27,000 tonnes of aluminium scrap. Based on the current rate of import, total aluminium scrap import by Japan is likely to stand at about 46,000 tonnes, an estimated drop of 15%.  

The country imported about 3 million tonnes of unwrought aluminium and semi-finished aluminium in 2018.

Data shows a downward trend in import of aluminium and aluminium scrap. Similar downward trend is observed in production of secondary aluminium.