In December last year, Japan's industrial production decreased by 1.4 percent from the previous month, showing a decline for the second consecutive month, while output decreased by 1.6 percent from December in 2014, 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 fell by 4.3 percent year on year, while Japan's seasonally adjusted iron and steel production index decreased by 0.2 percent in December compared to November. Meanwhile, in December Japanese producers' iron and steel shipments increased by 0.1 percent and iron and steel inventories were up by 1.9 percent, both compared to the previous month.
On the other hand, according to the ministry's preliminary Current Survey of Production report, in December last year Japan produced 6.65 million mt of pig iron, down 4.2 percent, 8.59 million mt of crude steel, decreasing by 4.6 percent, and 8.42 million mt of semi-finished steel, down 4.2 percent, all compared to December 2014.
According to the ministry's Survey of Production Forecast in Manufacturing, Japanese industrial production is expected to increase by 7.6 percent in January and to decrease by 4.1 percent in February this year, both month on month. Meanwhile, Japanese iron and steel production is expected to rise 0.2 percent in January and to increase by 1.9 percent in February this year, month on month.