- Construction slump drags rolled aluminium demand
- Imports fall sharply while export gains offer limited cushion
Japan Metal Daily: Japan’s total aluminium product demand declined 1.6% y-o-y to 3.6 mnt in CY’25 , marking the fourth consecutive annual decline, according to the Japan Aluminium Association. The fall was primarily attributed to weaker rolled product consumption, reduced imports, and continued softness in construction-related demand.
Product-wise performance
Rolled products, accounting for nearly half of total aluminium demand, fell 2.4% to 1,657,378 t. The decline was mainly driven by persistent weakness in building materials, particularly aluminium sashes and other construction applications, where demand recovery has remained limited.
Die casting demand, largely linked to the automotive sector, edged down 0.6% to 884,794 t, reflecting steady but subdued vehicle production trends. Forgings declined 2.8% to 64,495 t, indicating softer industrial demand, while castings rose marginally by 0.7% to 366,143 t.
Electric wire demand increased 8.5% to 24,019 t, supported by power and infrastructure-related usage. Powder demand rose 4.0% to 9,458 t, whereas bullion consumption dropped sharply by 19.6% to 12,206 t.
Imported aluminium products recorded a notable decline of 6.8% to 436,957 t, highlighting lower inbound volumes amid subdued domestic consumption. “Steelmaking and others” decreased 3.4% to 138,262 t.
Application-wise demand
Transportation remained the largest end-use segment, accounting for just under 40% of total aluminium demand. Volumes in this segment declined 0.7% to 1,572,666 t.
Construction demand contracted more significantly by 5.6% to 359,563 t, while metal products fell 3.6% to 496,892 t. Food-related applications decreased 2.8% to 378,849 t, and the “others” category dropped 5.3% to 415,564 t.
In contrast, exports increased 13.6% to 154,969 t. Electrical machinery demand rose 9.9% to 112,375 t, and electricity-related applications surged 26.6% to 20,705 t, reflecting stronger activity in select industrial and infrastructure segments. General machinery demand declined 7.6% to 79,856 t, while chemicals increased 3.0% to 4,302 t.
Domestic demand, excluding exports, fell 2.2% to 3,440,773 t, and the domestic demand ratio decreased by 0.6 percentage points to 95.7%.
The data reflects continued pressure on Japan’s aluminium market in 2025, with declines concentrated in construction, rolled products, and imports, while select industrial and export segments showed relative stability.
Note: This article has been written in accordance with a content exchange agreement between BigMint and Japan Metal Daily.
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