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The Japan Copper and Brass Association anticipates that the production of rolled copper products will reach 825,300t in the 2012/2013 financial year, up 2.4% y-o-y. The organisation attributes this projected increase to brighter economic prospects, a prospering automotive sector and increased government reconstruction investment.This year, output declined 6.6% y-o-y. In February alone, production reached 64,076t, up 0.9% m-o-m, but down 8.5% y-o-y.

The Japan Copper and Brass Association reported that domestic production of brass mill semis fell by 8.5% y-o-y to reach 64,076t in February. The association also anticipates production of around 67,000t in March, which would represent an 8.3% y-o-y decline for the month and a 6.7% y-o-y contraction in output for FY2011/12. In addition, production in 2012/13 is forecast to rise by 2.4% y-o-y to reach 825,300t of brass mill products.

TEPCO, a Japanese power supplier announced that it will increase its electricity prices for corporate clients by an average of 17% to cover higher energy costs for the use of thermal power plants while the firm idles many of its nuclear power facilities. The Japan Copper and Brass Association diapproves of the move, which it says would add ¥1.2 - 1.3B/y in production costs at the affected brass mills. The 23 copper product fabrication sites within the TEPCO supply area account for 43% of total copper semis output in Japan.

According to preliminary data from the Japan Copper and Brass Association, Japan's April shipments of rolled copper declined by 8.1% y-o-y, to 64,914t. The fall in production was attributed to poor demand from the electronics sector, despite robust consumption by the automotive industry. Nevertheless, shipments of rolled copper increased 3.2% m-o-m.