According to the provisional data released by the Japanese Ministry of Finance, in July this year Japan's iron and steel product exports came to 3.6 million metric tons, down 1.5 percent both month on month and compared to the same month of the previous year, while these exports generated a value of JPY 324.8 billion ($3.3 billion), down 2.8 percent compared to June and up 6.2 percent on year-on-year basis.
Meanwhile, Japanese iron and steel product imports amounted to 629,000 mt in July this year, decreasing 4.3 percent compared to the same month of the previous year, with a value of JPY 70.8 billion ($718 million). Japan's iron ore and concentrate imports in the month in question amounted to 12.1 million mt, up by 20 percent year on year, with a value of JPY 163.5 billion ($1.66 billion), rising 46.6 percent compared to July 2012.