In May this year, Japan’s iron and steel product exports amounted to 2.38 million metric tons, increasing by 4.3 percent month on month but decreasing by 5.7 percent year on year, according to the customs statistics released by the Japan Iron and Steel Federation (JISF).
In the January-May period this year, Japanese iron and steel product exports amounted to 11.65 million mt, down by 8.6 percent compared to the same period of the previous year.
Regarding Japan’s major iron and steel product export markets, in the first five months this year the country’s iron and steel exports to South Korea totaled 1.69 million metric tons, up 4.1 percent, while exports to Thailand decreased by 2.6 percent to 1.68 million metric tons. The export volume to China amounted to 855,930 metric tons, down by 11.2 percent, exports to Taiwan totaled 562,720 metric tons, falling by 37.5 percent, while exports to the US totaled 552,644 metric tons, increasing by 25.1 percent, all year on year.
| Exports | ||||
| May (mt) | Change m-o-m (%) | January-May (mt) | Change y-o-y (%) | |
| Semi-finished | 188,101 | -3.5 | 944,286 | -26.1 |
| Bars | 17,329 | +0.2 | 94,221 | +83.0 |
| Wire rod | 31,193 | +32.2 | 185,482 | -4.7 |
| Heavy plate | 189,592 | -16.3 | 1,000,464 | -10.6 |
| HRC | 863,448 | +2.4 | 4,253,362 | -10.4 |
| CRC | 91,818 | -10.4 | 537,579 | -13.4 |
| Galvanized sheet | 166,670 | +19.3 | 808,356 | +5.4 |
