Japan cement shipments totalled 5.17Mt in May 2005, up 6.1 per cent year-on-year, the Japan Cement Association said on June 23, 2005. The figure marked a year-on-year increase for the third straight month. The increase can be put down to the strong demand for cement, mainly in the Hokuriku area, central Japan. Demand for cement was also strong in the large metropolitan areas in May 2005.
Domestic cement shipments stood at 4.29Mt in May 2005, up 7.4 per cent, also marking a year-on-year increase for the third straight month.
Overseas cement shipments went up by 0.3 per cent to 878,000t, marking a year-on-year increase for the fourth consecutive month. Japan’s strong cement exports to the Middle East, South America and Europe made up for the decrease in exports to Asia in May 2005.
