According to the provisional data released by the Japanese Ministry of Finance, in February this year Japan's iron and steel product exports came to 3.19 million metric tons, increasing by 10 percent month on month and down 13.3 percent as compared to the same month of the previous year, while these exports generated a value of JPY 277 billion ($3.34 billion), up 8.9 percent compared to January and down 12.6 percent on year-on-year basis.
In the given month, Japan's iron and steel product exports to the US increased by 95.8 percent to 233,000 metric tons, its exports to the EU decreased by 53.6 percent to 37,000 metric tons, while iron and steel exports to China decreased by 14.3 percent to 520,000 metric tons, exports to the Middle East fell by 5.2 percent to 145,000 metric tons, and iron and steel exports to ASEAN countries fell by 12.4 percent to 848,000 metric tons, all compared to February 2011.