In February this year, Japanese crude steel production was down 7.4 percent compared to the previous month and down 0.1 percent compared to February last year, totaling 8.34 million mt, according to the data released by the Japan Iron and Steel Federation (JISF).
Meanwhile, in February of the current year Japan's pig iron production totaled 6.22 million metric tons, falling by 10.1 percent compared to the previous month and down by 3.3 percent year on year.
In the January-February period of this year, the country's pig iron output stood at 13.14 million metric tons, down 1.3 percent, while its crude steel production came to 17.34 million metric tons, rising 1.3 percent, both on year-on-year basis.
| Product | February 2017 (mt) | M-o-m change (%) | Y-o-y change (%) |
| Hot rolled section | 486,800 | 3.0 | 3.6 |
| Bar | 748,900 | - | 5.7 |
| Wire rod | 136,200 | -13.4 | 0.7 |
| Heavy plate | 734,500 | -5.6 | -7.3 |
| Hot rolled wide strip | 3,555,400 | -8.0 | 0.7 |
| Cold rolled wide strip | 1,483,000 | -7.8 | 0.3 |
| Galvanized sheet | 891,900 | -8.4 | 3.6 |
| Welded pipe | 313,500 | - | 1.7 |