Scrap metal prices per kg in Japan
| Scrap type | Price (JPY) | Change | Global reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-ferrous (per kg) | |||
| Copper Scrap | ¥1,880 / kg | ▼ -2.28% | $5.56 / lb |
| Aluminum Scrap | ¥260 / kg | ▼ -1.28% | $0.77 / lb |
| Brass Scrap | ¥1,153 / kg | ▼ -1.73% | $3.41 / lb |
| Stainless Steel Scrap | ¥193 / kg | ▲ +0.00% | $0.57 / lb |
| Lead Scrap | ¥199 / kg | ▲ +0.00% | $0.59 / lb |
| Zinc Scrap | ¥304 / kg | ▲ +0.00% | $0.90 / lb |
| Battery Scrap | ¥78 / kg | ▲ +0.00% | $0.23 / lb |
| Radiator Scrap | ¥1,079 / kg | ▼ -2.45% | $3.19 / lb |
| Wire Scrap | ¥906 / kg | ▼ -2.55% | $2.68 / lb |
| Cable Scrap | ¥605 / kg | ▼ -2.19% | $1.79 / lb |
| Electronic Scrap | ¥260 / kg | ▼ -2.53% | $0.77 / lb |
| Ferrous and bulk (per tonne) | |||
| Steel Scrap | ¥50,714 / tonne | ▲ +0.00% | $300 / ton |
| Iron Scrap | ¥44,628 / tonne | ▲ +0.00% | $264 / ton |
| Car Scrap | ¥60,857 / tonne | ▲ +0.00% | $360 / ton |
| Cast Iron | ¥48,686 / tonne | ▲ +0.00% | $288 / ton |
Indicative dealer prices for clean, sorted scrap. Global reference is the US board in US dollars; the Japan figure applies the exchange rate (1 USD = 158.10 JPY) and a local market factor of 0.97.
Japanese dealers quote non-ferrous scrap in yen per kilogram and ferrous scrap in yen per tonne, with ferrous grades such as H2 (heavy) and shredded quoted separately. The yen exchange rate strongly influences export bids.
Japan scrap price chart (JPY)
Daily open, high, low and close for the most traded scrap metals in JPY per kg or per tonne. Scroll to zoom and drag to move along the timeline.
Price history could not be loaded.
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Copper scrap prices by grade in Japan
Copper is not one price. Yards grade it by cleanliness, coating and gauge, and the spread from the top grade to the bottom runs 25 to 35 percent. These are the same grades used on export contracts, converted to JPY.
The scrap market in Japan
Japan is a mature market with a large surplus of ferrous scrap, exported mainly to South Korea, Vietnam and Bangladesh from Tokyo Bay, Osaka and Nagoya. The buying prices announced by the country's largest electric arc furnace steelmaker are watched as a benchmark for the whole ferrous market.
Non-ferrous scrap is priced off LME quotes converted at the yen rate, and Japan's secondary aluminium and copper industries keep domestic demand steady. Prices are highest in the Kanto region around Tokyo.
- Currency
- Japanese yen (JPY)
- Price units
- Per kg for non-ferrous, per tonne for ferrous
- Benchmarks
- Tokyo Steel buying prices, LME in yen
- Main hubs
- Tokyo and Kanto, Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka
- Trade position
- Net exporter of ferrous scrap
The most valuable scrap by weight in Japan today: Copper at ¥1,880 per kg, Brass at ¥1,153 per kg, Radiator at ¥1,079 per kg, Wire at ¥906 per kg, Cable at ¥605 per kg.
Scrap metal rates in Japan, by grade
Rates in Japan are quoted per kilogram in JPY. Typical ranges are Copper: ¥ 1,655 to ¥ 2,105 per kg; Brass: ¥ 1,015 to ¥ 1,290 per kg; Aluminium: ¥ 230 to ¥ 290 per kg; Zinc: ¥ 270 to ¥ 340 per kg; Lead: ¥ 175 to ¥ 225 per kg; Stainless steel: ¥ 170 to ¥ 215 per kg. Across common non-ferrous grades that puts most material between ¥ 170 and ¥ 2,105 per kg, with copper at the top of the range and stainless steel near the bottom.
These are ranges rather than quotes. The band reflects day-to-day movement in the metal market and the spread between one yard and another, which our own research has found can reach 40 percent or more for the same metal in the same city. The midpoint is derived from the international exchange settlement converted to JPY and adjusted by our published market factor of 0.97. Expect a local buyer to sit toward the lower end, because they carry collection, sorting, processing and their own margin. Always confirm the rate per kilo for your specific grade before anything is weighed.
- Copper: ¥ 1,655 to ¥ 2,105 per kg
- Brass: ¥ 1,015 to ¥ 1,290 per kg
- Aluminium: ¥ 230 to ¥ 290 per kg
- Zinc: ¥ 270 to ¥ 340 per kg
- Lead: ¥ 175 to ¥ 225 per kg
- Stainless steel: ¥ 170 to ¥ 215 per kg
Japan now registers metal buyers, and bans carrying a hidden cable cutter
Japan passed a law aimed squarely at the scrap trade and brought it fully into force on 1 June 2026. The Act on Prevention of Disposal of Stolen Specified Metal Articles, known in Japanese as the kinzokuto taisakuho, was the response to a nationwide wave of copper cable theft from solar power installations.
Its central provision is a notification requirement for metal purchasing businesses, kaiuke-gyo no todokede gimuka. Buyers must register, and the intention is to make illegal material harder to move through legitimate channels. If you buy scrap in Japan, this is now your compliance obligation rather than a background news story.
The cable cutter provision
A separate and unusually specific measure took effect on 1 September of the preceding year. It is now prohibited to carry designated metal cutting tools concealed, without business use or another legitimate reason.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Police set out what counts. Cable cutters fall within scope, including those fitted with a ratchet mechanism, meaning a rotating blade that turns in only one direction. Carrying one hidden, with no reason to have it, is the offence in itself.
For a legitimate contractor or dealer this is manageable: you have a reason, and it is your trade. It is worth knowing about rather than discovering.
What is actually being taken
The pattern in Japan is broader than infrastructure cable, and the list published in Japanese coverage is worth reading in full because it shows how far down the value scale theft has reached.
- Copper cable from solar power generation facilities, which is the main driver behind the law.
- Copper transmission cable.
- Taps from public park washbasins.
- Flush valves from public toilets.
- Flower holders placed in front of headstones at cemeteries.
One case, four prefectures, 141 million yen
The scale these operations reach is documented. A joint investigation headquarters of the Gifu and Aichi prefectural police announced in April 2026 that a group based in Aichi had carried out repeated thefts of copper cable from solar power plants across four prefectures over roughly eight months.
The total copper loss was put at 141,470,000 yen. Investigators attributed the motive directly to the rise in copper prices and the ease of converting the metal to cash.
That is the connection this site keeps returning to. When the metal price rises, the pressure on infrastructure rises with it, and the response falls on the yards that buy metal legitimately as much as on the people taking it.
Selling scrap metal in Japan: rules, ID and payment
Dealers operate under recycling and secondhand dealer regulations, and recent measures against metal theft require dealers to verify seller identity for copper and cable scrap. Bring ID for anything beyond small household lots.
Before you sell
- Watch the yen; a weaker yen lifts local scrap prices.
- Sort ferrous into H2 and shredded-quality grades.
- Tokyo Bay dealers pay the most for export ferrous.
Scrap prices by city in Japan
City pages for Japan are being added; the country board above already reflects prices in its main hubs: Tokyo and Kanto, Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka.
Scrap yards in Japan
Find a yard by region or city, or use your location to see the nearest. Every listing shows where its details came from and when they were checked.
Yard listings for Japan are being added from official dealer registers and trade directories. Nothing is published until it has been verified against a named source, which is why this section is not yet populated.
Japan scrap price FAQ
What is the scrap copper price per kg in Japan today?
As of October 22, 2026, the indicative scrap copper price in Japan is ¥1,880 per kg ($5.56 per lb on the global board). Bare bright and clean number 1 copper earn the top of the range; insulated wire, tubing with solder and mixed copper pay less.
What are scrap metal prices in Japan today?
Today's indicative non-ferrous prices in Japan are Copper ¥1,880 per kg, Brass ¥1,153 per kg, Radiator ¥1,079 per kg, Wire ¥906 per kg, with steel scrap at ¥50,714 per tonne. The full board above lists all 15 scrap types with the change against the previous close.
How are scrap prices quoted in Japan?
Non-ferrous scrap is quoted in JPY per kg and ferrous scrap per tonne. Japanese dealers quote non-ferrous scrap in yen per kilogram and ferrous scrap in yen per tonne, with ferrous grades such as H2 (heavy) and shredded quoted separately. The yen exchange rate strongly influences export bids.
Do I need ID to sell scrap metal in Japan?
Dealers operate under recycling and secondhand dealer regulations, and recent measures against metal theft require dealers to verify seller identity for copper and cable scrap. Bring ID for anything beyond small household lots.
Which scrap metals pay the most in Japan?
By weight, copper, then brass, then radiator, then wire. Ferrous scrap such as steel and iron pays far less per kg but moves in much larger volumes, which is why it is quoted per tonne.
Why are scrap prices in Japan different from US prices?
Metals are priced in US dollars on the world market, but local prices reflect the JPY exchange rate, freight to the nearest mills and smelters, import and export rules and how many buyers compete for material. Japanese prices are quoted in a low-decimal currency and track export demand for ferrous scrap.
Sources and methodology
Prices on this page start from the global reference board (US dollars per pound or per ton), are multiplied by a Japan market factor of 0.97 that reflects local demand, freight and trade rules, and are converted to JPY at 1 USD = 158.10 and to metric units (kilograms and tonnes). The board refreshes daily, with the time of the latest update shown at the top of the page.
Reference sources
- Japan Ferrous Raw Materials Association
- LME settlement prices, Bank of Japan exchange rates
Prices are indicative and for information only; they are not offers to buy or sell. Actual yard prices depend on grade, quantity, location and the buyer. Spotted an error? Tell us and we will check it against our sources.
Scrap prices in other countries
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