In December last year, Japan's industrial production increased 0.5 percent from the previous month, while output rose by three percent from December 2015, 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 rose by three percent year on year, while Japan's seasonally adjusted iron and steel production index increased by 2.3 percent in December compared to November. Meanwhile, in December Japanese producers' iron and steel shipments decreased by 2.5 percent and iron and steel inventories were up by 1.2 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 three percent in January and to rise by 0.8 percent in February, both month on month. Meanwhile, Japanese iron and steel production is expected to fall 1.9 percent in January and to rise by 2.6 percent in February, month on month.