In April this year, Japan registered the second consecutive year-on-year drop in its crude steel production, following the earthquake on March 11, after previously posting increases for 16 straight months. In the meantime, in terms of Japan's finished product steel output, the country's construction steel production increased in April, while its flat steel production declined - both on year-on-year and on month-on-month basis.
In April, Japanese pig iron production declined by 8.2 percent year on year totaling 6.14 million mt, also down by 9.5 percent over March. Meanwhile, the country's crude steel production in April amounted to 8.42 million metric tons, down 6.3 percent year on year and falling by 7.6 percent month on month. This is the second consecutive year-on-year drop registered in the country's crude steel production following the earthquake on March 11.
However, in the January-April period of 2011, the country's pig iron output stood at 26.84 million metric tons and its crude steel production came to 36.12 million metric tons, with respective increases of 0.3 percent and 1.8 percent, both compared to the corresponding period of 2010.
In April, Japan's steel section production amounted to 530,500 metric tons, up 8.3 percent, its bar production came to 827,700 metric tons, up 7.3 percent, its wire rod output was 161,600 mt, up 7.1 percent, heavy plate output reached 1.4 million metric tons, down 6.6 percent, HR wide strip production was 3.18 million mt, down 14.2 percent, CR wide strip output amounted to 1.51 million mt, down 15.1 percent, galvanized sheet production totaled 915,600 metric tons, down 10.8 percent, and welded pipe output was 311,700 metric tons, decreasing by 13.1 percent, all compared to February.