Japan posts increase in crude steel output
Japan Iron and Steel Federation disclosed that the country's crude steel production rose 3.3% year on year to 9.48 million metric tons in April. However, due to the fewer working days in April than in March, this figure represents a month-on-month decrease of 1.1%. In the January-April 2005 period, crude steel output reached 37.2 million metric tons, up 1.3% compared to the same period last year. Meanwhile, ordinary steel production rose 1.9% year on year to 7.44 million tons in April while specialty steel output increased 8.7% to 2.05 million tons.