Japan Carbon Steel Export Rises by 6.8% in F2007

Japanese carbon steel export increased by 6.8% to 26.372 million tonnes in fiscal 2007 ended March 2008 from fiscal 2006, announced by Japan Iron and Steel Federation on Friday. The special steel export increased by 5.8% to record 5.936 million tonnes exceeding former record of 5.611 million tonnes in fiscal 2006. The export increased by 9.8% to 5.027 million tonnes for semi-finished steel and by 11.5% to 715,000 tonnes for processed steel. The total steel export increase by 7.1% to record 38.44 million tonnes including ferroalloy in fiscal 2007 from fiscal 2006, which increased for 2 years in a row and topped former record of 36.514 million tonnes in fiscal 1976. The export value increased by 16.2% to record US$ 38.639 billion, which renewed record for 5 years in a row. The value increased by 13.7% to record 4.42 trillion yen, which renewed the record for 8 years in a row. The carbon steel export increased by 6.1% for hot rolled wide strip, by 6.7% for galvanizing steel, by 13.9% for plate, by 0.3% for cold rolled wide strip, by 41.5% for shapes, by 10.5% for electrical steel and by 0.4% for steel bar in fiscal 2007 from fiscal 2006. The export decreased by 14.4% for welded pipe and by 5.4% for wire rod. The total steel export increased by 13.7% to 10.44 million tonnes for the largest destination of South Korea in fiscal 2007 from fiscal 2006, which increased for 2 years in a row. The export increased by 1.9% to 6.524 million tonnes for the second largest destination of China. The export increased by 13.3% to 4.395 million tonnes for Thailand, which increased for the first time in 3 years. The export to Taiwan increased by 3.0% to 3.713 million tonnes, which increased for 3 years in a row. The export to USA decreased by 17.7% to 1.618 million tonnes, which was first drop in 4 years.