Japan Steels Output to Approach Record in F2006

Japanese annual steel products output, including common steel and special steel, would approach record 105 million tonnes marked in fiscal 1990 through fiscal 2006 ending March 2007. The output in fiscal 2005 was 98 million tonnes when the export decreased. In fiscal 2006 the output is expected to exceed 101.27 million tonnes in fiscal 2004. Japanese crude steel output would increase to 117.5 million tonnes through fiscal 2006 from 112.72 million tonnes in fiscal 2005. The steel products output could reach around 104.5 million tonnes in fiscal 2006, increasing by over 20 million tonnes from 84 million tonnes of recent bottom in fiscal 1998.Japanese steel products output exceeded 100 million tonnes 5 times in fiscal 1973, 1979, 1989, 1990 and 2004. In fiscal 2006, domestic demand is strong mainly for manufacturing industries while all steel export recovers to 36 million tonnes level per year from 32 million tonnes in fiscal 2005. After fiscal 2004 the consumption of high tensile steel sheet or special steel wire and bar have expanded for automobile, shipbuilder and construction machinery.