Japanese steel exports down 13.7 percent in July over June

According to the customs statistics released by the Japanese Ministry of Finance, the country's total iron and steel product exports in July this year amounted to 3.34 million metric tons, decreasing by 13.7 percent month on month and up four percent compared to July 2009, generating a total of $3.74 billion in value. Meanwhile, Japanese iron and steel product imports in July dropped by 8.5 percent over June and were up 75.6 percent year on year to 642,707 metric tons, reaching a total value of $823.02 million.

Regarding Japan's major export markets, in July the country's iron and steel product exports to South Korea totaled 795,231 metric tons, decreasing by 18.6 percent month on month and down 9.3 percent compared to July 2009; exports to China fell 13 percent as compared to June and amounted to 604,843 metric tons, down 4.5 percent year on year; the export volume to Taiwan reached 197,617 metric tons, down 51.3 percent month on month and decreasing by 32.3 percent year on year; exports to Thailand totaled 366,247 metric tons, decreasing by 17.7 percent over June and up 37 percent compared to the year-ago period; while exports to the US came to 149,097 metric tons, increasing by 22.7 percent month on month and up 75 percent year on year.

In July, Japan imported 229,654 metric tons of iron and steel products from South Korea, down 11.1 percent over June and up 36 percent year on year, it imported 154,101 metric tons from China, decreasing by 14.4 percent month on month and up 118.8 percent year on year, while imports from Taiwan came to 71,032 metric tons, improving by 4.6 percent over the previous month and up 47.8 percent year on year.