Japan increases crude steel output by three percent in October over September

According to the data released by the Japanese Iron and Steel Federation (JISF), Japanese pig iron production in October this year totaled 7.14 million metric tons, increasing by 7.9 percent year on year and up 4.1 percent compared to September. Meanwhile, the country's crude steel production in October amounted to 9.51 million metric tons, up eight percent year on year and rising by three percent month on month.
 
Meanwhile, in the January-October period of 2010, the country's pig iron output stood at 68.69 million metric tons and its crude steel production came to 91.44 million metric tons, with increases of 28.5 percent and 31.1 percent, both compared to the corresponding period of 2009.
 
In October, Japan's steel section production amounted to 422,700 metric tons, down 0.7 percent, its bar production came to 828,500 metric tons, up 8.6 percent, its wire rod output was 132,400 mt, down 12.5 percent, heavy plate output reached 1.08 million metric tons, down one percent, HR wide strip production was 3.7 million mt, down 3.6 percent, CR wide strip output amounted to 1.9 million mt, down 2.3 percent, galvanized sheet production totaled 1.14 million metric tons, up 1.4 percent, and welded pipe output was 300,100 metric tons, decreasing by 7.2 percent, all compared to September.