In April this year, Japan's hot rolled plate and sheet shipments decreased by 10.36 percent compared to March and were up 2.04 percent on year-on-year basis, amounting to 860,207 metric tons. 80 percent of shipments were made to the domestic market, while the remaining 20 percent were made to the export markets, according to the Japan Iron and Steel Federation (JISF) data.
In April, Japan's hot rolled strip shipments amounted to 1.33 million mt, down 15.06 percent from March and up 4.34 percent year on year. 35 percent of shipments were made to the domestic market, while the remaining 65 percent were made to the export markets. In April, Japan's hot rolled strip production amounted to 1.29 million mt, down 20.34 percent month on month and down 6.18 percent year on year.
Meanwhile, the average domestic price for HR plate and sheet in Japan in April was JPY 81,000/mt (approx. $794/mt), unchanged from the previous month and up by JPY 7,000/mt (approx. $69/mt) compared with the same month of 2013.
The average domestic price for HR strip in the month in question was JPY 69,000/mt (approx. $676/mt), unchanged from the previous month and up by JPY 7,000/mt (approx. $69/mt) compared with the same month of 2013.