In December last year, Japan’s industrial production went down by 0.1 percent month on month and up by 6.8 percent compared to the same month in 2024, according to the preliminary indices of the Industrial Production report published by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI).
On the other hand, in December the Japanese iron and steel production index went down by 1.5 percent year on year, while Japan’s seasonally adjusted iron and steel production index went increased by 1.1 percent in the given month compared to November. Meanwhile, in December Japanese producers’ iron and steel shipments moved down by 2.3 percent and iron and steel inventories decreased by 0.1 percent, both compared to the previous month.
According to the ministry’s Survey of Production Forecast in Manufacturing, Japanese industrial production is expected to increase by 9.3 percent in January and fall by 4.3 percent in February, both on month-on-month basis. Meanwhile, Japanese iron and steel production is expected to decrease by 2.3 percent in January and rise by 1.5 percent in February, month on month.