Exports of scrap steel from Japan decreased by 9.5 percent in January-May 2026

In May of this year, Japanese exports of ferrous scrap amounted to 595,468 tons, which is 8.1 percent less than 648,253 tons in the same month of the previous year, according to customs statistics. In the period from January to May of this year, the country exported 2.95 million tons of scrap, which is 9.5 percent less than last year.

During this period, Vietnam was the largest importer of Japanese scrap, importing 1.26 million tons, down 12.9 percent from last year. Vietnam was followed by Bangladesh and South Korea, which imported 701,576 tons and 711,177 tons of scrap, up 28.3 percent and down 19.1 percent, respectively, year-on-year.

Meanwhile, Japanese scrap exports to Thailand totaled 236,206 tons between January and May this year, compared with 107,054 million tons in the same period last year.