In December last year, Japanese crude steel production was up by 0.3 percent compared to the previous month and down by 1.1 percent compared to December 2023, totaling 6.89 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 5.01 million metric tons, up by 3.2 percent compared to the previous month and by 2.1 percent year on year.
In 2024, the country’s crude steel output stood at 84.01 million metric tons, down by 3.4 percent, while its pig iron production came to 61.02 million metric tons, decreasing by 3.2 percent, both on year-on-year basis.
The production volume of some steel products in Japan can be seen in the chart below:
Product |
December 2024 (mt) |
M-o-m change (%) |
Y-o-y change (%) |
Hot rolled section |
361,800 |
5.4 |
-11.0 |
Bar |
562,600 |
-7.1 |
-10.8 |
Wire rod |
115,700 |
16.9 |
11.3 |
Heavy plate |
669,100 |
15.8 |
13.3 |
Hot rolled wide strip |
2,916,000 |
-2.0 |
-1.6 |
Cold rolled wide strip |
1,193,400 |
4.5 |
5.5 |
Galvanized sheet |
662,300 |
0.5 |
-2.7 |
Welded pipe |
221,200 |
-3.4 |
-10.6 |