The leading Japanese EAF-based steel producer Tokyo Steel has cut its domestic scrap purchase price by JPY 500/mt, but only for the Kyushu region. As a result, the general scrap purchase price range of the producer has remained stable. The Japanese scrap market is expected to remain soft for a while. The Japanese yen has lost some strength against the US dollar since Tokyo Steel’s previous price announcement on April 25.
Tokyo Steel’s general range for H2 grade scrap price is still in the range of JPY 39,000-41,500/mt ($269-287 272-289/mt) depending on the mill. The scrap purchase price for Tahara still represents the upper end of the price range. The dollar-based quotations have decreased by $3/mt on the lower end and by $2/mt on the upper end as compared to April 25 due to the fluctuation of the Japanese yen against the US dollar.
Meanwhile, shindachi scrap prices of Tokyo Steel are also stable at JPY 40,000-43,500/mt ($276-300/mt) delivered, with dollar prices down by $3/mt on the lower end and by $4/mt on the upper end. The prices shared in the table below are effective as of May 21.
| Plant | H2 scrap | Shindachi | ||
| Price (JPY/mt) | Price change (JPY/mt) | Price change (JPY/mt) | Price change (JPY/mt) | |
| Tahara | 41,500 | 0 | 43,500 | 0 |
| Nagoya | 40,500 | 0 | - | |
| Okayama | 41,000 | 0 | 42,000 | 0 |
| Kansai | 41,000 | 0 | - | |
| Takamatsu | 39,000 | 0 | 40,000 | 0 |
| Kyushu | 40,500 | -500 | 41,500 | -500 |
| Utsunomiya | 40,500 | 0 | 42,000 | 0 |
$1 = JPY 144.76