Japan Carbon Steel Export Rises by 1.3% in August

Japanese carbon steel export increased by 1.3% to 2.288 million tonnes in August from a year earlier, which represented year-on-year increase for 9 months in a row, announced Japan Iron & Steel Federation on Wednesday. The export increased by 10.9% to 517,000 tonnes for special steel, by 3.7% to 395,000 tonnes for semi-finished steel and by 0.7% to 56,000 tonnes for processed steel products. The total steel export increased by 3.4% to 3.299 million tonnes including pig iron and ferroalloy in August from a year earlier, which showed y/y increase for 9 straight months and hit secondly high followed as August record of 3.358 million tonnes in 2002. The export value was US$ 4.22 billion or 456.8 billion yen, which increased for 27 months and 57 months in a row. The export volume decreased by 0.4% in August compared with last month and the export value decreased by 0.2%, which decreased for the first time in late 4 months. The export increased by 0.5% to 476,000 tonnes for carbon steel galvanizing steel in August from a year earlier. The carbon steel export increased by 1.8% to 267,000 tonnes for cold-rolled wide strip, by 19.1% to 153,000 tonnes for welded steel tube, by 23.9% to 73,000 tonnes for seamless pipe, by 7.2% to 71,000 tonnes for magnetic steel sheet and by 2.8 times to 64,000 tonnes for steel bar. Meanwhile, the export decreased by 0.3% to 617,000 tonnes for hot-rolled wide strip in August from a year earlier, which decreased for 2 consecutive months. The carbon steel export decreased by 14.4% to 265,000 tonnes for plate, by 11.2% to 92,000 tonnes for shaped steel. The export to South Korea decreased by 2.8% to 791,000 tonnes in August from a year earlier, which decreased 4 consecutive months. The export decreased by 5.7% to 296,000 tonnes for Taiwan, which decreased for the first time in 8 months. The export increased by 3.1% to 570,000 tonnes for China, which increased for 2 consecutive months. The export increased by 5.0% to 406, 000 tonnes, which increased for 22 consecutive months. The export increased by 2.6% to 123,000 tonnes, which increased for 3 consecutive months.