Indonesia accounted for over 61% of Japan’s refined tin imports in 2009, according to an analysis of customs statistics by the trading company Mitsubishi Corporation Unimetals. Japan’s total refined tin imports last year fell by 30% to 22,107 tonnes, while the volume sourced from Indonesia rose by 14% to 13,484 tonnes.

The other two major suppliers to Japan last year were Thailand (5,658 tonnes, 26% of the market) and Malaysia (2,285 tonnes, 10% of the market). However the tonnages supplied from both these countries fell 43% and 62% respectively, while imports from China declined by over 80%.