(Minews) - For the first time in three years, Japan’s copper and brass production is expected to cross 800,000 tonnes, according to the Japan Copper and Brass Association (JCBA).
Strong demand from the automotives sector should trigger strong production, Masao Yoshida, the president of the association, said.
While domestic demand will be hit by the hike in the national consumption tax rate that comes into effect on April 1, its effects are likely to be short-lived.
Japan’s output of rolled copper products rose to 66,022 tonnes in December on a seasonally adjusted basis, up 15% from a year earlier.
The figure also represents a decrease of 2.5% from November, preliminary figures from the association show.
Japan’s copper and brass production was 776,000 tonnes in 2013, from 769,000 tonnes in 2012, the JCBA said. The output was the third-lowest since 1977.
