REFILE-UPDATE 1-Japan Sept copper cable shipments down 17% y/y

* Aug figure finalised at 50,531 tonnes * Month-on-month rise in Sept just makes up for Aug fall TOKYO, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Japanese copper wire and cable shipments fell by over 17 percent in September from a year earlier, extending a year-on-year decline into the 12th straight month due to a lack of strong demand from the construction sector. The country's demand for copper, used in areas such as electronics and automobiles, tumbled from late last year due to the economic downturn. Shipments amounted to an estimated 57,800 tonnes last month, down 17.4 percent from a year earlier, although they were up 14 percent from August, data from the Japanese Electric Wire and Cable Makers' Association showed on Friday. The final number for August of 50,531 tonnes confirmed a 13 13 percent decline in shipments from July's 58,032 tonnes, partly due to a seasonal fall in demand during the summer holiday season. Shipments, including exports which account for around 4 percent of the total, rose month-on-month in March, June and July this year, but showed little signs of sustainable growth.