In February this year, Japan's industrial production decreased by 6.2 percent from the previous month, showing a decrease for the first time in two months, while output fell by 1.5 percent from February last year, according to the preliminary indices of the Industrial Production report published by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI).
On the other hand, in February the Japanese iron and steel production index fell by 1.8 percent year on year, while Japan's seasonally adjusted iron and steel production index decreased by 2.5 percent in February compared to January. Meanwhile, in February Japanese producers' iron and steel shipments decreased by 0.9 percent and iron and steel inventories were up by 2.5 percent, both compared to the previous month.
On the other hand, according to the ministry's preliminary Current Survey of Production report, in February this year Japan produced 6.4 million mt of pig iron, up 0.8 percent, 8.3 million mt of crude steel, decreasing by one percent, and 8.2 million mt of semi-finished steel, down 1.2 percent, all compared to February 2015.
According to the ministry's Survey of Production Forecast in Manufacturing, Japanese industrial production is expected to increase by 3.9 percent in March and to increase by 5.3 percent in April this year, both month on month. Meanwhile, Japanese iron and steel production is expected to decline 6.1 percent in March and to rise by 3.7 percent in April this year, month on month.