AI-driven demand has pushed copper prices so that the metal value of Japan's 10-yen coin now exceeds its face value. JX Advanced Metals, Mitsui Kinzoku and Mitsubishi Materials say the coin is about 95% copper, 4% zinc and 1% tin; using Japan exchange benchmark prices the metal content is worth roughly 10.4 yen. Japan depends on imported copper concentrate, leaving its domestic industry exposed to global price swings; JX Metals' domestic benchmark copper price was up 56% YoY as of May. Local med

AI-driven demand has pushed copper prices so that the metal value of Japan's 10-yen coin now exceeds its face value. JX Advanced Metals, Mitsui Kinzoku and Mitsubishi Materials say the coin is about 95% copper, 4% zinc and 1% tin; using Japan exchange benchmark prices the metal content is worth roughly 10.4 yen. Japan depends on imported copper concentrate, leaving its domestic industry exposed to global price swings; JX Metals' domestic benchmark copper price was up 56% YoY as of May. Local media report a spike in water-meter thefts targeting copper-alloy components, with hundreds taken across multiple cities.