In March this year, Japan’s iron and steel product exports amounted to 2.52 million metric tons, increasing by 15.6 percent month on month and down by 9.1 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 6.98 million mt, down by 10.1 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 Thailand totaled 1.01 million metric tons, down 1.8 percent, while exports to South Korea increased by 0.2 percent to 832,528 metric tons. The export volume to China amounted to 351,808 metric tons, down by 8.4 percent, exports to the US totaled 315,009 metric tons, increasing by 13.9 percent, while exports to Taiwan totaled 217,304 metric tons, down by 16.0 percent, all year on year.
| Exports | ||||
| March (mt) | Change m-o-m (%) | January-March (mt) | Change y-o-y (%) | |
| Semi-finished | 197,642 | +2.5 | 561,273 | -32.5 |
| Bars | 28,018 | +75.4 | 59,600 | +90.6 |
| Wire rod | 54,112 | +42.9 | 130,691 | +11.2 |
| Heavy plate | 203,017 | -1.1 | 584,282 | -18.3 |
| HRC | 872,285 | +11.9 | 2,546,891 | -10.4 |
| CRC | 126,138 | +15.9 | 343,242 | -9.1 |
| Galvanized sheet | 173,563 | +3.5 | 501,993 | +7.6 |
