2005’s Steel Export to be 32.28 Million Tonnes

According to the prompt report of trade statistics in 2005 which Japan’s Ministry of Finance released on Thursday, steel export was 32.281 million tonnes as a total in the world, down 7.8% from the previous year; the amount of money was 3.36765 trillion yen, up 20.5%. The import was 8,231,269 tonnes, up 19.6%; the amount of money was 797.597 billion yen, up 32.4%. In the breakdown of the nations to which Japan exported steel, the quantity to the U.S. and Mideast only increased. That to Asia decreased 9.1%; that to China did 16.4%. Meanwhile, the amount of money to Russia only decreased. That to the U.S., Asia, and China increased 36.9%, 17.9% and 17% respectively. As for the breakdown of the nations from which Japan imported steel, the quantity to European Union (EU) and Russia decreased 13.3% and 43.9% respectively. On the other hand, that to the U.S. and Asia increased 46.7% and 26.7% respectively. That to China increased 44.4%, and that to Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) decreased 14.4%. Furthermore, the amount of money from all the nations and areas increased. That from the U.S., Asia, China, and Asian newly industrializing economies rose 20.7%, 34.4%, 28.2% and 42.9% respectively.