According to the customs statistics released by the Japanese Ministry of Finance, Japan's iron and steel product exports in January this year amounted to 2.9 million metric tons, decreasing by 16 percent compared to the same month of 2011 and down by six percent month on month, while Japan's steel imports hit 701,179 metric tons, with a month-on-month decrease of six percent and a year-on-year increase of 15 percent.
Regarding Japan's major steel export markets, in January the country's steel exports to South Korea totaled 613,074 mt, up nine percent, while steel exports to China decreased by eight percent to 430,764 metric tons; the export volume to Taiwan amounted to 227,991 metric tons, down 13 percent; exports to Thailand totaled 351,666 metric tons, up 31 percent; while exports to the US came to 174,322 metric tons, decreasing by four percent, all compared to the previous month.
In January, Japan imported 260,249 metric tons of steel from South Korea, down 11 percent, it imported 49,269 metric tons from China, up by 24 percent, while imports from Taiwan came to 78,899 metric tons, increasing by 16 percent, all compared to the previous month.
Exports | Imports | ||||||
January 2012 (mt) | Change m-o-m (%) | Change y-o-y (%) | January 2012 (mt) | Change m-o-m (%) | Change y-o-y (%) | ||
Semi-finished | 378,194 | 7 | -12 | 48,400 | 12 | 2854 | |
Bars | 31,308 | -4 | 4 | 2,650 | -26 | -19 | |
32,974 | -12 | -40 | 31,697 | 44 | 69 | ||
Heavy plate | 250,677 | -11 | -21 | 51,096 | 4 | 127 | |
702,845 | - | -6 | 124,391 | -15 | -8 | ||
227,150 | -7 | -38 | 78,092 | -5 | 7 | ||
Galvanized sheet | 310,503 | -16 | -21 | 60,450 | - | 46 | |
Special steel | 549,072 | -7 | -18 | 29,840 | -39 | 13 | |