In May this year, Japanese crude steel production was up 7.2 percent compared to the previous month, while it decreased by 0.3 percent year on year, totaling 9.59 million mt, according to the data released by the Japan Iron and Steel Federation (JISF).
Meanwhile, in May Japan's pig iron production totaled 7.21 million metric tons, increasing by 9.1 percent compared to the previous month and down 0.1 percent year on year.
In the first five months of the current year, the country's pig iron output stood at 34.33 million metric tons, decreasing by 0.7 percent, while its crude steel production came to 46.11 million metric tons, increasing by 1.5 percent, both on year-on-year basis.
Japan's steel product output tonnages in May 2014:
| Product | May.14 | M-o-m change (%) | Y-o-y change (%) |
| Hot rolled section | 500,000 | 2,9 | -10,2 |
| Bar | 854,400 | 2,8 | 1,8 |
| Wire rod | 148,700 | -10,6 | 19 |
| Heavy plate | 881,900 | -3,5 | -2 |
| Hot rolled wide strip | 3,777,000 | 6,4 | -1,7 |
| Cold rolled wide strip | 1,760,700 | 3,6 | -0,5 |
| Galvanized sheet | 1,077,500 | 10,1 | 3,3 |
| Welded pipe | 329,200 | -1,3 | -0,4 |