In April this year, Japan’s iron and steel product exports amounted to 2.45 million metric tons, decreasing by 11.7 percent month on month and 2.9 percent year on year, according to the customs statistics released by the Japan Iron and Steel Federation (JISF).
In the January-April period this year, Japanese iron and steel product exports amounted to 10.22 million mt, down by 1.1 percent compared to the same period of the previous year.
Regarding Japan’s major iron and steel product export markets, in the first four months this year the country’s iron and steel exports to South Korea totaled 1.32 million metric tons, down 23.3 percent, while exports to China decreased by 16 percent to 766,708 metric tons. The export volume to Taiwan amounted to 722,973 metric tons, up by 29.9 percent, exports to Thailand totaled 1.36 million metric tons, decreasing by 5.1 percent, while exports to the US totaled 343,918 metric tons, down by 15.7 percent, all year on year.
| Exports | ||||
| April (mt) | Change m-o-m (%) | January-April (mt) | Change y-o-y (%) | |
| Semi-finished | 194,117 | -47.6 | 1,025,200 | -1.0 |
| Bars | 9,544 | -16.7 | 40,817 | -55.9 |
| Wire rod | 38,743 | -4.5 | 156,300 | +22.1 |
| Heavy plate | 196,108 | -18.3 | 911,411 | +4.0 |
| HRC | 973,339 | +0.7 | 3,816,807 | +1.6 |
| CRC | 129,816 | +1.7 | 507,500 | +4.5 |
| Galvanized sheet | 128,310 | -17.0 | 594,793 | -10.3 |