In November this year, Japan's industrial production increased 0.6 percent from the previous month, while output rose by 3.7 percent from November last year, 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 November the Japanese iron and steel production index rose by 1.9 percent year on year, while Japan's seasonally adjusted iron and steel production index increased by 0.8 percent in November compared to October. Meanwhile, in November Japanese producers' iron and steel shipments increased by 10.8 percent and iron and steel inventories were down by 3.4 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 3.4 percent in December and to fall by 4.5 percent in January, both month-on-month. Meanwhile, Japanese iron and steel production is expected to decline 2.3 percent in December and to rise by 3.6 percent in January, month-on-month.