In January this year, Japanese crude steel production was up by 2.8 percent compared to the previous month and down by 0.5 percent compared to January 2025, totaling 6.75 million mt, according to the data released by the Japan Iron and Steel Federation (JISF).
Meanwhile, in the given month Japan’s pig iron production totaled 4.97 million metric tons, up by 3.4 percent compared to the previous month and down by two percent year on year.
The production volume of some steel products in Japan can be seen in the chart below:
| Product | January 2026 (mt) | M-o-m change (%) | Y-o-y change (%) |
| Hot rolled section | 368,500 | -0.4 | 4.1 |
| Bar | 506,500 | -5 | -8 |
| Wire rod | 114,800 | -8.5 | 4.5 |
| Heavy plate | 634,100 | -5.1 | 0.7 |
| Hot rolled wide strip | 2,873,500 | 11.3 | -5.3 |
| Cold rolled wide strip | 1,108,900 | 1 | -10 |
| Galvanized sheet | 671,400 | 3.1 | -3.6 |
| Welded pipe | 219,400 | -4.9 | -9.7 |