In May this year, Japan’s hot rolled plate and sheet shipments were down by 3.7 percent compared to the previous month and by 5.5 percent from 729,430 mt recorded in the same month of 2023, amounting to 689,462 metric tons, according to the Japan Iron and Steel Federation (JISF) data. In the given month, 69.6 percent of shipments were made to the domestic market, while the remaining 30.4 percent were made to the export markets. In the given month, Japan’s hot rolled plate and sheet production amounted to 716,310 mt, increasing by 4.7 percent month on month and by 0.1 percent year on year.
Meanwhile, in May Japan’s hot rolled strip shipments amounted to 1.26 million mt, moving up by 3.3 percent from the previous month and down by 15.9 percent year on year. 20.8 percent of shipments were made to the domestic market, while the remaining 79.2 percent were made to the export markets. In the given month, Japan’s hot rolled strip production amounted to 1.37 million mt, up by 13.0 percent month on month and down by 9.0 percent year on year.