In April this year, Japanese crude steel production was down by 8.4 percent compared to the previous month and by 6.4 percent compared to April 2024, totaling 6.61 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 4.74 million metric tons, decreasing by 7.9 percent compared to the previous month and by 5.9 percent year on year.
In the January-April period this year, the country’s crude steel output stood at 27 million metric tons, down by 5.3 percent, while its pig iron production came to 19.56 million metric tons, decreasing by 4.3 percent, both on year-on-year basis.
The production volume of some steel products in Japan can be seen in the chart below:
| Product | April 2025 (mt) | M-o-m change (%) | Y-o-y change (%) |
| Hot rolled section | 341,400 | -11 | -10.2 |
| Bar | 593,900 | -7.2 | -11.7 |
| Wire rod | 117,400 | -6.4 | +13.5 |
| Heavy plate | 632,500 | -9 | -8.7 |
| Hot rolled wide strip | 2,907,500 | -7.2 | +2.6 |
| Cold rolled wide strip | 1,187,500 | -1.5 | +9 |
| Galvanized sheet | 653,200 | -5.5 | +0.7 |
| Welded pipe | 216,800 | -7.4 | -9.1 |