In August this year, Japanese crude steel production was down 0.5 percent compared to the previous month and down 5.8 percent compared to August 2014, totaling 8.8 million mt, according to the data released by the Japan Iron and Steel Federation (JISF).
Meanwhile, in August of the current year Japan's pig iron production totaled 6.91 million metric tons, falling 0.7 percent compared to the previous month and down 5.9 percent year on year.
In the first eight months this year, the country's pig iron output stood at 54.14 million metric tons, down 2.9 percent, while its crude steel production came to 70.24 million metric tons, falling 4.9 percent, both on year-on-year basis.
| Product | August 2015 (mt) | M-o-m change (%) | Y-o-y change (%) |
| Hot rolled section | 489,500 | -6 | -2.32 |
| Bar | 779,000 | -2.5 | -5.57 |
| Wire rod | 161,000 | -3.5 | 17.1 |
| Heavy plate | 802,100 | -0.5 | -10.8 |
| Hot rolled wide strip | 3,824,700 | -0.6 | -1 |
| Cold rolled wide strip | 1,535,300 | 1.1 | -8.8 |
| Galvanized sheet | 895,700 | 2.3 | -10.3 |
| Welded pipe | 286,900 | -10.4 | -3.8 |