In December last year, Japanese crude steel production was down 1.7 percent compared to the previous month and down 4.5 percent compared to December 2014, totaling 8.6 million mt, according to the data released by the Japan Iron and Steel Federation (JISF).
Meanwhile, in December 2015 Japan's pig iron production totaled 6.65 million metric tons, falling by 0.3 percent compared to the previous month and down 4.3 percent year on year.
In 2015, the country's pig iron output stood at 81 million metric tons, down 3.4 percent, while its crude steel production came to 105.15 million metric tons, falling five percent, both on year-on-year basis.
| Product | December 2015 (mt) | M-o-m change (%) | Y-o-y change (%) |
| Hot rolled section | 452,900 | -5.82 | -7.76 |
| Bar | 707,500 | -13.6 | -8.16 |
| Wire rod | 149,100 | 8 | -1.9 |
| Heavy plate | 820,200 | -0.6 | -8.5 |
| Hot rolled wide strip | 3,670,600 | 1.4 | 0.7 |
| Cold rolled wide strip | 1,513,300 | 0.2 | -1.2 |
| Galvanized sheet | 875,800 | 1.7 | -2.1 |
| Welded pipe | 292,100 | -9.1 | -11.2 |