In April this year, Japan's hot rolled plate and sheet shipments decreased by 11.1 percent compared to March and were down 12.4 percent on year-on-year basis, amounting to 843,414 metric tons. 70.6 percent of shipments were made to the domestic market, while the remaining 39.4 percent were made to the export markets, according to the Japan Iron and Steel Federation (JISF) data.
In April, Japan's hot rolled strip shipments amounted to 1.3 million mt, down 20.4 percent from March and up 17 percent year on year. 27 percent of shipments were made to the domestic market, while the remaining 73 percent were made to the export markets. In April, Japan's hot rolled strip production amounted to 1.4 million mt, down 11.1 percent compared to March and up 21.5 percent year on year.
Meanwhile, the average domestic price for HR plate and sheet in Japan in April this year was JPY 74,000/mt (approx. $758/mt), stable compared to the previous month and down by JPY 9,000/mt (approx. $92/mt) year on year. The average domestic price for HR strip in the month in question was JPY 62,000/mt (approx. $635/mt), also stable compared to the previous month and down by JPY 4,000/mt (approx. $41/mt) year on year.