In November, Japanese crude steel production decreased compared to the previous month, after having started in the month of January with a peak output level for 2011.
According to the data released by the Japanese Iron and Steel Federation (JISF), Japanese crude steel production in November amounted to 8.7 million metric tons, down 3.2 percent year on year and falling by 8.3 percent month on month. Meanwhile, the country's pig iron production in November this year totaled 6.5 million metric tons, decreasing by 2.5 percent year on year and down 7.9 percent compared to October.
In the January-November period of 2011, the country's pig iron output stood at 74.6 million metric tons and its crude steel production came to 99.2 million metric tons, with decreases of one percent and 1.2 percent both compared to the corresponding period of 2010.
In November, Japan's steel section production amounted to 433,500 metric tons, down 5.3 percent, its bar production came to 868,200 metric tons, down two percent, its wire rod output was 150,500 mt, also down two percent, heavy plate output totaled 1.03 million metric tons, down 3.3 percent, HR wide strip production was 3.2 million mt, down 6.8 percent, CR wide strip output amounted to 1.6 million mt, down 12.4 percent, galvanized sheet production totaled 1.02 million metric tons, down 2.5 percent, and welded pipe output was 307,200 mt, remaining unchanged, all compared to October this year.