Vale commemorates the 70th anniversary of its commercial relationships with Japan today (September 25th), in a ceremony that accentuates the company’s longstanding tradition of productive synergies with Japanese steelmakers and partners.
Vale, one of the world’s leading producers of iron ore, began its regular shipments to Japan in 1955. Since then, the company has shipped over 1.4 billion tons of iron ore to Japanese steelmakers, with an annual shipment volume exceeding 28 million tons last year.
“Japan is our second largest market, and Japanese investments and support have been instrumental in the charting of key milestones of Vale’s history, such as the Carajás iron project in Pará and the Port of Tubarão in Espírito Santo, Brazil,” says the Chief Executive Officer of Vale, Gustavo Pimenta.
Vale’s Carajas mining operations produce some of the highest-grade iron ore in the world, and the company has invested heavily in the adoption of circular mining practices in the region. In February, Vale launched Novo Carajas, a project to boost the region’s production of high-grade iron ore and copper; two materials that are essential to the world’s decarbonization journey. Annual iron ore production in Carajás is expected to reach a rate of 200 million tons per year (Mtpa) by 2030.
“Our Japanese partners contributed to the inception of our Carajas journey, as the complex’s first shipment was sent to the ports of Oita and Kimitsu in 1985. This year, as we embark on our Novo Carajas project, we look forward to continuing to facilitate the Japanese steel industry’s decarbonization through our client-centric and flexible portfolio that is supported by our advanced supply chain and heavy investments in new technologies and solutions,” Pimenta added.
Japan aspires to become a net zero economy by 2050, which is consistent with Vale’s own ambition to become a net zero company in scopes 1 and 2 by the same year. Since 2020, the company has invested approximately USD1.4 billion (around JPY207 billion) to adopt decarbonization solutions across its operations and supply chain.
“Through sustainable practices, technological exchange, and a shared commitment to decarbonization, we will continue to build a future that reflects our purpose: to improve life and transform the future, together,” Pimenta concluded.
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Vale SA published this content on September 25, 2025, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on September 26, 2025 at 18:36 UTC.
AloJapan.com