Japan Carbon Steel Import Rises by 5.2% in October

Japanese carbon steel export increased by 5.2% to 332,620 tonnes in October from a year earlier, which represented increases by 24.0% from last month, announced by Japan Iron and Steel Federation on Thursday. The import increased by 39.2% for special steel and by 12.7% to 58,360 tonnes for processed steel products. Total steel import decreased by 1.7% to 3,147 million tonnes in January-October.

The import increased by 24.0% to 7,179 tonnes for H-beam in October from a year earlier, by 4 times for bar steel, by 3.8 times to 20,805 tones for plate, by 11% to 94639 tonnes for cold-rolled wide strip, by 8.8% to 35,246 tonnes for carbon steel galvanizing steel, by 21.0% for wire rod while decreased by 5.9% for 138,231 tonnes for hot-rolled wide strip.

The import increased by 2.8% form South Korea in October from a year earlier, by 33.4% from China. Chinese steel makers enhanced the export stance due to slower domestic demand. The import from Taiwan decreased to 52,137 tonnes by 13.5%.