In March this year, Japanese crude steel production rose 10.6 percent month on month, following a downward trend for two consecutive months, reaching its highest monthly volume since October 2008.
According to the data released by the Japanese Iron and Steel Federation (JISF), Japanese pig iron production in March this year totaled 7.01 million metric tons, increasing by 52.6 percent year on year and up 11.8 percent compared to February. Meanwhile, the country's crude steel production in March amounted to 9.34 million metric tons, up 62.8 percent year on year and rising by 10.6 percent month on month.
Meanwhile, in the first quarter of 2010, the country's pig iron output stood at 20.07 million metric tons, and its crude steel production came to 26.41 million metric tons, with increases of 38.5 percent and 50.7 percent, both compared to the corresponding period of 2009.
In March, Japan's steel section production amounted to 486,500 metric tons, up 11.8 percent, its bar production came to 798,500 metric tons, up 10.6 percent, its wire rod output was 180,100 mt, up 19 percent, heavy plate output reached 1.16 million metric tons, up 25.4 percent, HR wide strip production was 4.13 million mt, up 11.2 percent, CR wide strip output amounted to 2.17 million mt, up 19 percent, galvanized sheet production totaled 1.18 million metric tons, up 10.9 percent and welded pipe output was 325,700 metric tons, increasing by 10.1 percent, all compared to February.
