According to the provisional data released by the Japanese Ministry of Finance, in the first half of this year Japan's iron and steel product exports came to 22.2 million metric tons, up 7.8 percent as compared to the same period of the previous year, while these exports generated a value of JPY 1.9 billion ($19.3 million), up 9.7 percent on year-on-year basis.
In the given period, Japan's iron and steel product exports to the US decreased by 13.6 percent to 1.1 million metric tons, its exports to the EU decreased by 44.6 percent to 112,000 metric tons, while iron and steel exports to China decreased by 2.3 percent to 3 million metric tons, exports to the Middle East fell by 8.8 percent to 905,000 metric tons, and iron and steel exports to ASEAN countries rose by 19.1 percent to 7.1 million metric tons, all compared to the first half of 2012.
Meanwhile, Japanese iron and steel product imports amounted to 3.35 million mt in January-June this year, decreasing 11.1 percent compared to the same period of the previous year, with a value of JPY 365.8 million ($3.7 million), down 12.3 percent from the same period last year. Japan's iron ore and concentrate imports in the month in question amounted to 66.45 million mt, up by 0.6 percent year on year, with a value of JPY 788.7 billion ($8 billion), falling 3.9 percent compared to the first half of 2012.