In February this year, Japan's galvanized sheet output decreased by 6.8 percent compared to January and was down 4.1 percent year on year, amounting to 926,177 mt, according to data from the Japan Iron and Steel Federation (JISF).
Japan's galvanized sheet shipments amounted to 952,476 metric tons in February, remaining stable on month-on-month basis and down by 5.3 percent compared to February in the previous year. 71 percent of the country's galvanized sheet shipments in February were made to the domestic market, while the remaining 29 percent were made to the export markets.
Meanwhile, in February Japan's galvanized sheet inventories decreased by 2.5 percent month on month to 1 million metric tons, and were down 5.5 percent year on year. 62 percent of inventories were held by steel manufacturers, while 38 percent were held by steel traders.
The average domestic price for galvanized sheet in Japan in February was JPY 92,000/mt (approx. $927/mt), stable compared to the previous month and down JPY 9,000/mt (approx. $91/mt) year on year.