According to the Japanese Ministry of Trade (METI), Japan’s crude steel output is forecast to decrease 25.9 percent year on year to 19.36 million mt in the April-June quarter this year.
Domestic demand for finished steel is forecast to fall by 16.6 percent in the given quarter to 12.88 million mt, while exports are expected to drop by 21.4 percent to 5.4 million mt, both year on year. Additionally, in the April-June quarter demand for ordinary steel from the construction sector is forecast to decrease by 4.8 percent to 4.7 million mt compared to the same quarter of the previous year. From the machinery sector, demand is anticipated to decline 18 percent year on year to 1.07 million mt.