According to statistics released by Japan's Ministry of Finance, Japan's nickel ore imports totaled 400,542 metric tons in May this year, down 21 percent month on month and up 10.1 percent compared to May 2012.

In the first five months of the year, Japan's nickel ore imports amounted to 2.13 million metric tons, increasing by 26.5 percent year on year.

In the first five months of the current year, Japan's nickel ore imports from Indonesia accounted for 48.7 percent of total Japanese nickel ore imports, rising 23.8 percent compared to the same period of the previous year to 1.04 million metric tons, while the Philippines exported 688,708 mt of nickel ore to Japan in the first five months, rising 34.2 percent year on year. Meanwhile, New Caledonia's nickel ore exports to Japan rose by 21.3 percent year on year in the period in question to 402,936 mt.