The Asian Ally of the U.S. Has Increased Its Purchases of Russian Aluminum 0 10

Last month, imports of Russian unprocessed aluminum to Japan surged by one and a half times compared to December figures. This was reported by the media, citing data from the customs of that country.

The supplies are estimated at $17.4 million. Thus, exports rose to their highest levels since the summer of 2024, when it was about $21.9 million per month. However, in annual terms, January supplies were 11 percent lower.

In January 2026, Japan increased its imports of Russian coal. Over the month, supplies grew by 258.6 percent year-on-year. Additionally, purchases of liquefied natural gas increased.

Overall, last year's total volume of Russian-Japanese trade reached nearly $8.01 billion, exceeding the 2024 figures by more than two percent.

In November 2025, Russian-Japanese trade turnover fell by 4.51 percent compared to November 2024, reaching $617 million.