According to statistics released by Japan's Ministry of Finance, Japan's hot rolled (HR) flat steel exports totaled 1.35 million metric tons in January this year, increasing by three percent month on month and up 41.7 percent compared to January 2012.
In January, Japanese hot rolled flat steel exports to South Korea totaled 297,091 metric tons, rising by 4.55 percent, exports to Thailand came to 148,172 million metric tons, rising 16.4 percent, while Vietnam's hot rolled flat steel imports from Japan more than doubled amounting to 143,676 metric tons, all compared to January 2012.
In 2012, Japan's hot rolled flat steel exports had amounted to 13.9 million metric tons, rising by 11.7 percent as compared to the previous year.