In March this year, Japan’s iron and steel product exports amounted to 2.77 million metric tons, increasing by 10.3 percent month on month and 2.6 percent year on year, according to the customs statistics released by the Japan Iron and Steel Federation (JISF).
In the January-March period this year, Japanese iron and steel product exports amounted to 7.77 million mt, down by 0.6 percent compared to the same period of the previous year.
Regarding Japan’s major iron and steel product export markets, in the first three months this year the country’s iron and steel exports to South Korea totaled 1.02 million metric tons, down 24.7 percent, while exports to China decreased by 14.9 percent to 584,984 metric tons. The export volume to Taiwan amounted to 583,074 metric tons, up by 40.0 percent, exports to Thailand totaled 1.02 million metric tons, decreasing by 4.5 percent, while exports to the US totaled 276,621 metric tons, down by 15.0 percent, all year on year.
| Exports | ||||
| March (mt) | Change m-o-m (%) | January-March (mt) | Change y-o-y (%) | |
| Semi-finished | 370,378 | +66.9 | 831,083 | +7.5 |
| Bars | 11,464 | +2.1 | 31,273 | -55.9 |
| Wire rod | 40,548 | +5.4 | 117,558 | +15.0 |
| Heavy plate | 239,899 | +7.4 | 715,303 | +11.3 |
| HRC | 966,986 | +4.0 | 2,843,469 | +1.5 |
| CRC | 127,621 | +7.0 | 377,684 | +0.3 |
| Galvanized sheet | 154,542 | +2.3 | 466,483 | -8.3 |