Japan Carbon Steel Export Rises by 23.7% in February

Japanese carbon steel export increased by 23.7% to 2.443 million tonnes in February from a year earlier, which represents increases for 3 months in a row, announced by Japan Iron and Steel Federation on Tuesday. The export increased by 50% for hot rolled wide strip, by 94% for shape steel and by 58% for steel bar. The total steel export including special steel and ferroalloy was 3.536 million tonnes, which was record volume as February topping February 1976. The total steel export increased by 22.2% in February from a year earlier, which increased for 3 months in a row. The export value increased by 25.4% to US$ 3.548 billion, which increased fro 21 months in a row, while the value increased by 10.9% to 379.3 billion yen, which increased for 51 months in a row. The total steel export increased by 46.2% to 1.002 million tonnes for South Korea in February from a year earlier. The export increased by 14.5% to 539,000 tonnes for China, by 14.2% to 374,000 tonnes for Thailand, and by 10.6% to 302,000 tonnes for Taiwan while the export decreased by 16.8% to 144,000 tonnes for USA.