Japanese Steel Export Hits Record in fiscal 2009

Japanese total steel export increased by 14.2% to record 39.003 million tonnes in fiscal 2009 ended March 2010 from fiscal 2008, which showed first increase in 2 years topping the former record of 38.488 million tonnes in fiscal 2007, announced by Japan Iron and Steel Federation on Thursday. The carbon steel export increased by 9.9% to 25.751 million tonnes while the special steel export increased by 8.7% to 5.723 million tonnes and the semi-finished products export increased by 40.1% to 6.124 million tonnes. However, the export value decreased by 19.7% to US$ 35.280 billion in total steel basis when the steel price plunged.

The total steel export increased by 26.6% to 10.775 million tonnes to South Korea in fiscal 2009 from fiscal 2008 while the export increased by 15.6% to 7.089 million tonnes to China and by 19.5% to 3.908 million tonnes to Taiwan.

Monthly Japanese total steel export increased by 60.6% to record 4.211 million tonnes in March from a year earlier, which exceeded the former record of 3.895 million tonnes in March 2008. The carbon steel export was 2.898 million tonnes, up by 71.0%.