According to the Ministry of Finance, the trade statistics of Japan's ferrous scrap imports slumped by 80% to a total of 15,000 tons in August 2012, compared to the same month in 2011.
In August, South Korea supplied 6,300 tons, the largest of the portion with a decrease of 38.6%; the second largest from the US of 3,300 tons, down by 93.0% and Taiwan, the third largest supplied 2,100 tons, fell by 56.7%, all compared to that in the same period of a year ago.
Furthermore, Japan's ferrous scrap imports in the first eight months of 2012 totaled 169,000 tons, plummeting by 64.5% year-on-year.
In the given period of time, South Korea again ranked the first for the contribution for a total of 27.2% of the total or 46,100 tons with decline of 48.2%, the US took 20.5% or 34,800 tons, falling by 82.7%, followed by Taiwan at 20.4% or 34,600 tons, decreasing by 35.2%, all compared to the same period in 2011.