According to the Japanese Ministry of Trade (METI), Japanese demand for crude steel in the first quarter of the coming year is expected to total 27.3 million mt, falling two percent from the estimated output for the fourth quarter, with an expected decrease of one percent compared to the first quarter of 2014.
Total demand for Japanese steel, including exports, is expected to reach 24.51 million mt in the first quarter of 2015, up 0.6 percent from the estimated data for the previous quarter, and down 1.3 percent compared to the first quarter of 2014. Of the estimated first quarter demand, exports are expected to account for 8.38 million mt, up 2.4 percent from the estimated data for the fourth quarter and up 2.2 percent compared to the first quarter of 2014.
Meanwhile, of the total demand in the first quarter next year, 19.47 million mt is expected to be for ordinary steel, decreasing by 1.1 percent year on year and up 0.7 percent from the estimated data for the previous quarter, while 5.04 million mt of demand is expected to be for special steel, down 2.4 percent year on year and rising slightly by 0.1 percent from the estimated data for the fourth quarter this year.