In April this year, Japan's industrial production increased 1.7 percent over the previous month, showing a month-on-month increase for the fifth consecutive month. Japan's industrial output showed a decrease of 2.3 percent from April in the previous year, according to the preliminary indices of the Industrial Production report published by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI).
The Japanese iron and steel production index in the month in question increased by 0.8 percent year on year, while Japan's seasonally adjusted iron and steel production index rose 1.2 percent in April compared to March. Meanwhile, in April Japanese producers' iron and steel shipments rose by one percent and iron and steel inventories were up by 1.4 percent, both compared to the previous month.
On the other hand, according to the ministry's preliminary Current Survey of Production report, in April this year Japan produced 6.8 million mt of pig iron, up 1.8 percent, 79,439 mt of ferroalloys, up six percent, 9.2 million mt of crude steel, up one percent, and 8.9 million mt of semi-finished steel, up 1.2 percent, all compared to April 2012.
According to the ministry's Survey of Production Forecast in Manufacturing, Japanese industrial production shows signs of picking up at a moderate pace. The production is expected to be flat in May and to decrease 1.4 percent in June, both month on month.