In November this year, Japanese crude steel production decreased by 3.8 percent compared to the previous month, while it fell by 2.3 percent year on year, totaling 8.5 million mt, according to the data released by the Japan Iron and Steel Federation (JISF). Japanese crude steel production had witnessed consecutive decreases on month-on-month basis in September and October.
Meanwhile, Japan's pig iron production in November this year totaled 6.5 million metric tons, decreasing by 3.3 percent month on month and up 0.3 percent compared to the same month last year.
In the January-November period of this year, the country's pig iron output stood at 74.7 million metric tons, remaining stable, while its crude steel production came to 98.6 million metric tons, falling slightly by 0.5 percent, both compared to the corresponding period of 2011.
Japan's steel product output tonnages in November 2012:
Product | November 2012 (mt) | Y-o-y change (%) | M-o-m change (%) |
Hot rolled section | 450,200 | 3.8 | -2 |
Bar | 837,500 | -3.6 | -2 |
Wire rod | 142,400 | -5.6 | -10 |
Heavy plate | 934,900 | -9.4 | 10.3 |
Hot rolled wide strip | 3,479,000 | 7.7 | -4.1 |
Cold rolled wide strip | 1,590,900 | -7.2 | -2.1 |
Galvanized sheet | 968,500 | -4.1 | -5.4 |
Welded pipe | 322,000 | -6 | 2.7 |