Japan Carbon Steel Export Drops by 15.5% in 2009

Japanese carbon steel export decreased by 15.5% to 22.341 million tonnes in 2009 from 2008, announced by Japan Iron and Steel Federation on Tuesday. Nippon Steel, JFE Steel and other Japanese steel makers shifted to export market when Asian economy recovered since last summer. The export volume increased for 3 months in a row through December while the export was low level in the first half year under slow demand after Lehman Shock.

The export decreased by 18.4% to 4.824 million tonnes for special steel and by 26.6% to 512,000 tonnes for processed steel products in 2009 from 2008. The export increased to 14.2 times at 591,000 tonnes for pig iron and by 23.5% to 5.828 million tonnes for semi-finished steel when Japanese steel makers exported overproduction in the first half year despite of the major production cut. The total steel export decreased by 9.7% to 34.442 million tonnes including pig iron and ferroalloy, which was the first drop in 4 years.

The carbon steel export increased by 3.2% to 7.19 million tonnes for hot rolled wide strip and by 2.9% to 3.548 million tonnes for plate in 2009 from 2008 thanks to strong demand from South Korea. The export decreased by 10.7% to 2.809 million tonnes for cold rolled wide coil and by 33.3% to 3.582 million tonnes for galvanizing steel. The export decreased by 55.7% to 721,000 tonnes for welded pipe, by 36.7% to 724,000 tonnes for shapes and by 17.5% to 707,000 tonnes for electrical steel.

The total steel export increased by 5.9% to 9.83 million tonnes in 2009 from 2008, which increased for the first time in 2 years. The export decreased by 3.0% to 6.468 million tonnes for China. The export decreased by 9.0% to 3.37 million tonnes for Taiwan and by 35.5% to 2.985 million tonnes for Thailand, both of which decreased for the first time in 3 years.

Japanese carbon steel export increased by 42.3% to 2.538 million tonnes in December from a year earlier, which increased for 3 months in a row. The export increased from November, which was the first increase in 2 months, when the demand recovered in South Korea, China, Taiwan and Thailand.