Japan's crude steel production increased 2.6 percent year on year to 10.2 million metric tons in May 2007, the Japan Iron and Steel Federation (JISF) announced on Tuesday, June 19.
The rise is attributable to robust demand from the domestic manufacturing and construction sectors as well as brisk exports to other Asian nations, said JISF.
The production of specialty steel used in motor vehicles and machinery grew 4.3 percent to 2.24 million metric tons in May. In addition, output of ordinary steel amounted to 7.94 million metric tons, up 2.1 percent year on year.
For the first five months of 2007, Japanese crude steel production reached 49.5 million metric tons, up 4.6 percent year on year.