In March this year, Japan’s hot rolled plate and sheet shipments increased by 25.4 percent compared to the previous month and were down by 4.5 percent compared to the same month of 2020, amounting to 792,153 metric tons. 70 percent of shipments were made to the domestic market, while the remaining 30 percent were made to the export markets, according to the Japan Iron and Steel Federation (JISF) data. In March, Japan’s hot rolled plate and sheet production amounted to 767,126 mt, rising by 19.1 percent month on month and up by 5.5 percent year on year.
Meanwhile, in March, Japan’s hot rolled strip shipments amounted to 1.45 million mt, rising by 16.0 percent from the previous month and falling by 8.8 percent year on year. 28 percent of shipments were made to the domestic market, while the remaining 72 percent were made to the export markets. In the given month, Japan’s hot rolled strip production amounted to 1.44 million mt, increasing by 17.1 percent month on month and down by 2.7 percent year on year.