According to the Japanese Ministry of Trade (METI), Japanese demand for crude steel in the fourth quarter of this year is expected to total 26.53 million mt, up 0.7 percent from the previous quarter, while representing a decrease of 3.7 percent compared to the fourth quarter of 2014.
Total demand for Japanese steel, including exports, is expected to reach 24.07 million mt in the fourth quarter this year, up 0.5 percent from the estimated data for the previous quarter, and down 2.1 percent compared to the same quarter of 2014. Of the estimated fourth quarter demand, exports are expected to account for 7.98 million mt, falling 3.2 percent from the third quarter and down 3.3 percent on year-on-year basis.
Meanwhile, of the total demand in the September-December period, 19.38 million mt is expected to be for ordinary steel, decreasing by 0.3 percent year on year and up 0.4 percent compared to the previous quarter, while 4.69 million mt of demand is expected to be for special steel, down 8.6 percent year on year and increasing by one percent from the estimated data for the third quarter this year.