In December last year, Japanese crude steel production was up 1.1 percent compared to the previous month and up 1.5 percent year on year, totaling 8.71 million mt, according to the data released by the Japan Iron and Steel Federation (JISF).
In December, Japan's pig iron production totaled 6.5 million metric tons, rising by 2.7 percent compared to the previous month and down by 1.3 percent year on year.
In 2016, the country's pig iron output stood at 80.18 million metric tons, down one percent, while its crude steel production came to 104.7 million metric tons, falling 0.3 percent, both on year-on-year basis.
| Product | December 2016 (mt) | M-o-m change (%) | Y-o-y change (%) |
| Hot rolled section | 475,500 | -1.2 | 4.9 |
| Bar | 759,100 | -4.0 | 6.4 |
| Wire rod | 143,900 | 9.0 | -3.5 |
| Heavy plate | 794,800 | -5.0 | -3.1 |
| Hot rolled wide strip | 3,565,800 | -0.8 | -3.1 |
| Cold rolled wide strip | 1,549,600 | 1.4 | 2.4 |
| Galvanized sheet | 931,100 | 6.3 | 7.7 |
| Welded pipe | 340,100 | -3.1 | 12 |