The leading Japanese EAF-based steel producer Tokyo Steel has cut its local scrap procurement prices again, except for the Takamatsu, Kyushu and Tokyo Bay regions. The high availability of scrap in Japan gives EAF-based steel producers the advantage over scrap sellers, especially as demand for Japanese scrap from the export markets is on the weak side.
Tokyo Steel's general price range for H2 grade scrap has moved down by JPY 500/mt on the upper end as compared to the levels recorded on July 28 to JPY 50,500-53,000/mt ($309-324/mt) depending on the mill. Including the changes in the exchange rates, the dollar-based quotations have increased by $1/mt on the lower end and decreased by $2/mt on the upper end.
Also, Tokyo Steel's shindachi scrap prices have declined by JPY 500/mt on the upper end to JPY 52,000-55,500/mt ($318-339/mt), up by $1/mt on the lower end and down by $2/mt on the upper end. The prices shared in the table below are effective as of July 30.
| Plant | H2 scrap | Shindachi | ||
| Price (JPY/mt) | Price change (JPY/mt) | Price change (JPY/mt) | Price change (JPY/mt) | |
| Tahara | 53,000 | -500 | 55,500 | -500 |
| Nagoya | 52,000 | -500 | - | 0 |
| Okayama | 52,000 | -500 | 53,000 | -500 |
| Kansai | 51,000 | -500 | - | - |
| Takamatsu | 52,000 | 0 | 53,000 | 0 |
| Kyushu | 52,000 | 0 | 53,000 | 0 |
| Utsunomiya | 50,500 | -500 | 52,500 | -500 |
| Tokyo Bay | 50,500 | 0 | 52,000 | 0 |
$1 = JPY 163.93
