TOKYO: Japan's exports of refined copper rose 15 percent in January from a year earlier as sales of cathodes to China continued to increase at a fast pace, Ministry of Finance data showed on Monday.
Exports of refined copper -- which comprises cathodes, billet and others -- totalled 30,184 tonnes, though they were down from the previous month's 39,309 tonnes.
Cathode sales to China, the world's top consumer of the basic metal, jumped 50 percent during the month, even though China reduced imports of refined copper by almost 18 percent.
Analysts expect China's imports will likely stay weak to March despite recent monetary easing.
Demand for copper, found in industrial products ranging from cars to computer chips, is seen as a gauge of economic activity.
China, South Korea, Taiwan and Indonesia are the key export markets for Japanese copper.
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