Japanese iron and steel exports up 71.7 percent in January

According to the customs statistics released by the Japanese Ministry of Finance, the country's total iron and steel product exports in January this year amounted to 3.44 million metric tons, decreasing by 10.7 percent month on month and up 71.7 percent compared to January 2009, generating a total of $3.08 billion in value. Meanwhile, Japanese iron and steel product imports in January surged by 14.7 percent over December 2009 and were up 25 percent year on year to 542,370 metric tons, reaching a total value of $639.54 million.

Regarding Japan's major export markets, in January the country's iron and steel product exports to South Korea totaled 948,475 metric tons, decreasing by 5.8 percent month on month but up 63.8 percent compared to January 2009; exports to China declined slightly by 0.9 percent over December and amounted to 600,000 metric tons, up 70.5 percent year on year, the export volume to Taiwan reached 324,000 metric tons, down 29 percent month on month and climbing by 103.1 percent year on year, exports to Thailand totaled 401,120 metric tons, decreasing by 0.5 percent over December and up 118.2 percent compared to the year-ago period, while exports to the US came to 69,118 metric tons, decreasing by 37.5 percent month on month and down 46.1 percent year on year.

In January, Japan imported 211,158 metric tons of iron and steel products from South Korea, up 1.3 percent over December and up 46.7 percent year on year, it imported 126,402 metric tons from China, increasing by 32.8 percent month on month and up 50.5 percent year on year, while imports from Taiwan came to 60,101 metric tons, increasing by 9.8 percent over the previous month and down 1.5 percent year on year.