In December last year, Japan’s iron and steel product exports amounted to 2.59 million metric tons, increasing by 8.1 percent month on month and down by 8.1 percent year on year, according to the customs statistics released by the Japan Iron and Steel Federation (JISF).
In 2025, Japanese iron and steel product exports amounted to 30.39 million mt, down by 4.2 percent compared to 2024.
Regarding Japan’s major iron and steel product export markets, in 2025 the country’s iron and steel exports to Thailand totaled 4.35 million metric tons, increasing by 1.4 percent and exports to South Korea totaled 3.84 million metric tons, down 19.7 percent, while exports to China decreased by 12.6 percent to 2.33 million metric tons. The export volume to Taiwan amounted to 1.83 million metric tons, up by four percent, while exports to the US totaled 1.09 million metric tons, down by 9.3 percent, all year on year.
| December (mt) | Change m-o-m (%) | 2025 (mt) | Change y-o-y (%) | |
| Semi-finished | 198,787 | -25.7 | 2,914,902 | -7.2 |
| Bars | 15,348 | 45.4 | 158,160 | -29.5 |
| Wire rod | 44,688 | -10.9 | 468,497 | 12.9 |
| Heavy plate | 247,559 | 19.2 | 2,659,535 | -3.9 |
| HRC | 982,714 | 8.1 | 11,311,253 | -4.5 |
| CRC | 97,721 | -4.8 | 1,401,106 | -4.1 |
| Galvanized sheet | 164,761 | 16.1 | 1,935,853 | -6.7 |
