Japan Raw Steel Output Hits 2nd High in F2006

Japanese raw steel output increased by 4.5% to 117.75 million tonnes in fiscal 2006 ended March 2007 from fiscal 2005 hitting second high after 120.02 million tonnes in 1973, announced by Japan Iron and Steel Federation on Thursday. The output has kept more than 100 million tonnes for 7 years in a row. Strong demand lifted the output under high level activity of manufacturers including automobile and shipbuilding along with firm demand for construction. Domestic makers expanded the output through expansion to meet the demand. The converter steel output increased by 3.9% to 86.92 million tonnes in fiscal 2006 from fiscal 2005. The electric furnace steel output increased by 6% to 30.82 million tonnes. The electric furnace steel output represented 26.2% of total output, which was 0.4 percentage points higher than fiscal 2005. The carbon steel output increased by 4.5% to 91.89 million tonnes in fiscal 2006 from fiscal 2005. The special steel output increased by 4.4% to 25.85 million tonnes, which renewed record for 5 years in a row. The hot rolled steel products output including special steel increased by 5.4% to 105.93 million tonnes in fiscal 2006 from fiscal 2005. The output exceeded 100 million tonnes for 4 years in a row and second high after 106.24 million tonnes in 1990.The carbon steel hot rolled products output increased by 5.7% to 84.65 million tonnes in fiscal 2006 from fiscal 2005. The special steel hot rolled products output increased by 4.4% to 21.28 million tonnes. Wide hot strip coil output was second high at 45.62 million tonnes and galvanizing flat steel output was record at 14.53 million tonnes.