Japan Cumulated Steel Rises to 1.3 billion tonnes in F2006

Japanese cumulated steel is estimated to increase to 1.304 million tonnes in fiscal 2006 ended March 2007, which was 11.642 million tonnes higher than fiscal 2005, according to Japan Ferrous Raw Materials Association. The increase was around 840,000 tonnes lower than fiscal 2005 due to higher export despite of the higher steel output and higher import. The cumulated steel increase was less than 15 million tonnes in fiscal 2001-2003, which was much lower than the peak of 44.83 million tonnes in fiscal 1990. The accumulation increased to 15.12 million tonnes in fiscal 2004 with higher domestic steel output and import to meet strong demand for automobile and industrial machinery. The accumulation increase decreased to 12.94 million tonnes in fiscal 2005 with lower domestic steel output, higher indirect export and higher ferrous scrap export. Japanese waste scrap generation increased by 2.085 million tonnes to 28.177 million tonnes in fiscal 2006 from fiscal 2005. The waste scrap generation represented 2.18% of the accumulation, which was 0.14 points higher than fiscal 2005.