In April this year, Japanese crude steel production was down 2.6 percent compared to the previous month and up 1.2 percent compared to April 2015, totaling 8.49 million mt, according to the data released by the Japan Iron and Steel Federation (JISF).
Meanwhile, in April of the current year Japan's pig iron production totaled 6.52 million metric tons, falling by 3.4 percent compared to the previous month and up by 1.8 percent year on year.
In the January-April period of this year, the country's pig iron output stood at 26.6 million metric tons, down 1.3 percent, while its crude steel production came to 34.35 million metric tons, falling 2.3 percent, both on year-on-year basis.
| Product | April 2016 (mt) | M-o-m change (%) | Y-o-y change (%) |
| Hot rolled section | 446,600 | -9.7 | -2.7 |
| Bar | 776,300 | 2.1 | -2.5 |
| Wire rod | 146,900 | -7.6 | 5.7 |
| Heavy plate | 862,800 | 0.9 | 0.3 |
| Hot rolled wide strip | 3,498,600 | -7.7 | 2.0 |
| Cold rolled wide strip | 1,452,200 | -9.7 | 0.5 |
| Galvanized sheet | 838,600 | -10 | -0.8 |
| Welded pipe | 298,800 | -7.1 | -2.0 |