Japan imported 69,406 mt of natural rubber in March, 2% higher than the 67,909 mt it received in February, according to a monthly report released Wednesday by the Rubber Trade Association of Japan.
The RTAJ said 68,413 mt natural rubber was imported in March 2011 so imports this March were about 1.5% higher.
The import gains rode on strong Japanese automobile sales, which saw their biggest-ever monthly surge in March.
Sales of new vehicles with engines above 660 cc stood at 497,959 units in March, up a record 78.2% from March 2011, and marking a seventh consecutive rise, the Japan Automobile Dealers Association said.
The bulk of the natural rubber imports comprised Technically Specified Rubber, or TSR, which amounted to 53,184 mt, or nearly 77% of the overall imports.
RSS, or Ribbed Smoked Sheet, accounted for about 20% of the overall imports, or 14,112 mt.
With the March data, Japan's Q1 imports of natural rubber totaled 195,702 mt, down more than 3% from 202,466 mt in the corresponding quarter last year.
