In February this year, Japanese crude steel production was down slightly by 0.2 percent compared to the previous month, while it decreased by 6.5 percent compared to February 2014, totaling 8.43 million mt, according to the data released by the Japan Iron and Steel Federation (JISF).
Meanwhile, in February Japan's pig iron production totaled 6.4 million metric tons, increasing by 2.6 percent compared to the previous month and falling by nine percent year on year.
In the first two months of the current year, the country's pig iron output stood at 13.4 million metric tons, down 0.4 percent, while its crude steel production came to 17.45 million metric tons, falling 2.2 percent, both on year-on-year basis.
Japan's steel product output tonnages in February 2015:
Product | February 2015 | M-o-m change (%) | Y-o-y change (%) |
Hot rolled section | 496,300 | -3.44 | -7.4 |
Bar | 756,200 | 3.04 | -7.9 |
152,800 | -6.8 | -0.8 | |
Heavy plate | 859,400 | 4.1 | -3.7 |
Hot rolled wide strip | 3,437,800 | -2.1 | -10.1 |
Cold rolled wide strip | 1,426,900 | -10.4 | -14.3 |
Galvanized sheet | 876,800 | -8.7 | -11.9 |
Welded pipe | 317,000 | -4.8 | -3.4 |