Japan's iron ore purchases from Australia and Brazil remained weak in April despite a slight recovery in overall iron ore imports during the month. Iron ore imports from Australia edged down by 1pc on the year to 6.6mn t in April, according to preliminary data released today by Japan's finance ministry. Imports from Brazil declined by 5pc to 2.2mn t in April.
Japan's total iron ore imports increased slightly in April from a year and month earlier as domestic steel mills gradually restored steel output from last year's lows, impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic and resulting global economic slowdown. But crude steel output has come under pressure recently from weak demand from the car manufacturing sector. The government earlier forecast Japan's April-June crude steel output to fall compared with the previous quarter because of weak steel demand from the car and construction sectors.