In May this year, Japan's industrial production increased by 0.5 percent from April and rose by 0.8 percent from May 2013, according to the preliminary indices of the Industrial Production report published by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI).
In May of the current year, Japanese seasonally adjusted iron and steel production increased by 0.3 percent month on month, while Japan's iron and steel production increased by 1.4 percent year on year. Meanwhile, in the given month Japanese producers' iron and steel shipments and inventories both increased by 0.4 percent compared to April.
On the other hand, according to the ministry's preliminary Current Survey of Production report, in May this year Japan produced 7.21 million mt of pig iron, down 0.1 percent, 9.59 million mt of crude steel, down 0.4 percent, and 9.33 million mt of semi-finished steel, down 0.8 percent, all compared to May 2013.
According to the ministry's Survey of Production Forecast in Manufacturing, Japanese industrial production is expected to decrease by 0.7 percent in June and increase by 1.5 percent in July, both month on month. Meanwhile, Japanese iron and steel production is expected to increase by 0.2 percent in June and to remain unchanged in July, both month on month.