Japan Special Steel Output to Rise by 7% for Jan-Mar, METI

Japanese production of hot rolled special steel products increases by 6.9% to 4.795 million tonnes for January-March from October-December, which doubles compared with same period of 2009, according to the survey by Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

The special steel production increases by 2.2% to 3.065 million tonnes for January-March from October-December for home while the production increases by 96.0% from the same period of 2009 when structural steel demand increases due to the improving automobile and construction machinery production in Japan. However, the stainless steel sheet and free-cutting steel production would decrease when the demand remains low for construction.

The production for export increases by 16.3% to 1.729 million tonnes for January-March from the previous quarter, which increases by 115.3% from the same period of 2009. The high tensile steel demand increases for overseas energy developing project while the structural steel export increases due to the growing automobile demand in Asia.