In January this year, Japanese crude steel production was up 2.13 percent compared to the previous month and down 2.8 percent compared to the same month of last year, totaling 8.77 million mt, according to the data released by the Japan Iron and Steel Federation (JISF).
Meanwhile, in January of the current year Japan's pig iron production totaled 6.88 million metric tons, rising by 3.6 percent compared to the previous month and down 1.8 percent year on year.
| Product | January 2016 (mt) | M-o-m change (%) | Y-o-y change (%) |
| Hot rolled section | 455,700 | 0.62 | -11.34 |
| Bar | 711,900 | -0.41 | -3.01 |
| Wire rod | 158,500 | 6.4 | -3.4 |
| Heavy plate | 834,300 | 1.7 | -6.5 |
| Hot rolled wide strip | 3,680,800 | 0.1 | -3.7 |
| Cold rolled wide strip | 1,595,900 | 5.5 | -4.1 |
| Galvanized sheet | 927,700 | 7.3 | -6.8 |
| Welded pipe | 300,300 | -1.1 | -8.4 |