According to the Japanese Ministry of Trade (METI), Japanese demand for crude steel in the third quarter of this year is expected to total 26.18 million mt, up 1.1 percent from the previous quarter and a decrease of 6.1 percent compared to the third quarter of 2014.
Total demand for Japanese steel, including exports, is expected to reach 24.21 million mt in the third quarter this year, up three percent from the estimated data for the previous quarter, and down 3.4 percent compared to the same quarter of 2014. Of the estimated third quarter demand, exports are expected to account for 8.28 million mt, remaining almost stable from the second quarter and will decrease five percent on a year-on-year basis.
Meanwhile, of the total demand in July-September period, 19.29 million mt is expected to be for ordinary steel, decreasing by 1.9 percent year on year and rising by 2.5 percent compared to the previous quarter, while 4.92 million mt of demand is expected to be for special steel, down nine percent year on year and increasing by 4.8 percent from the estimated data for the second quarter this year.