In October this year, Japanese crude steel production increased by just 0.4 percent compared to the previous month, while it fell by 6.7 percent year on year, totaling 8.8 million mt, according to the data released by the Japan Iron and Steel Federation (JISF). Japanese crude steel production had witnessed consecutive decreases on month-on-month basis in September and August.
Meanwhile, Japan's pig iron production in October this year totaled 6.8 million metric tons, increasing by 1.1 percent month on month and down 4.4 percent compared to the same month last year.
In the January-October period of this year, the country's pig iron output stood at 68.1 million metric tons, remaining stable, while its crude steel production came to 90.2 million metric tons, falling slightly by 0.4 percent, both compared to the corresponding period of 2011.
Japan's steel product output tonnages in October 2012:
Product | October 2012 (mt) | Y-o-y change (%) | M-o-m change (%) |
Hot rolled section | 458,500 | 0.1 | 2.5 |
Bar | 859,400 | -3 | 4.5 |
157,600 | 2.6 | 11.6 | |
Heavy plate | 847,500 | -17.7 | -6.1 |
Hot rolled wide strip | 3,626,600 | 2.3 | -1.8 |
Cold rolled wide strip | 1,716,400 | -2.8 | -3.5 |
Galvanized sheet | 1,016,500 | -4.6 | -4.4 |
Welded pipe | 333,800 | 5.3 | -0.5 |