By Aya Takada Nov. 11 (Bloomberg) -- Aluminum stockpiles in Japan advanced 0.8 percent last month, from the lowest level in at least 14 years in September, as buyers increased imports to catch up with recovering demand, Marubeni Corp. said today. Inventories in Yokohama, Nagoya and Osaka ports increased to 171,200 metric tons from 169,900 tons a month earlier, according to Marubeni, Japan’s largest importer of the light metal. The September stockpile was the smallest since Marubeni began compiling data in June 1995. October volumes were 32 percent lower than a year earlier. Japanese manufacturers boosted metal purchases to expand production as government incentives increased sales of energy- efficient cars and appliances. Kobe Steel Ltd., Japan’s second- largest producer of aluminum rolled products, said Nov. 5 that its sales of the metal will increase 4 percent in the fiscal second half, led by demand from carmakers. Japanese aluminum buyers slashed import volumes under supply contracts with foreign producers anticipating the nation’s worst recession since World War II would depress metal consumption. A pick-up in demand has spurred them to increase purchases on the spot market, Marubeni said. Aluminum inventories in Japan reached 374,600 tons at the end of February, the highest level since September 1998, because of slumping demand. A breakdown of the Japanese stockpiles data follows: =============================================================== Yokohama Nagoya Osaka Total =============================================================== Oct. 31, 2009 81,600 76,600 13,000 171,200 Sept. 30, 2009 84,600 73,300 12,000 169,900 Oct. 31, 2008 120,600 118,900 14,000 253,500 (Figures are in metric tons.) =============================================================== To contact the reporter on this story: Aya Takada in Tokyo at atakada2@bloomberg.net

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