Japan Carbon Steel Import Rises by 11.5% in 2006

Japanese carbon steel import decreased by 11.5% to 3.747 million tonnes in 2006 from 2005, announced by Japan Iron and Steel Federation on Tuesday based on the data from Ministry of Finance. The main import item of hot rolled flat steel decreased by 2.8% and cold sheet decreased by 21.1%. Some import of long product items increased including 3.7% higher import for wire rod and 50.7% higher import for rail. The hot, cold and coated sheet steel import increased by 15.8% to 293,774 tonnes in December from November. The annual import decreased by 9.1% to 2.86 million tonnes in 2006 from 2005. The hot rolled flat steel import decreased by 2.8% to 1.59 million tonnes in 2006 from 2005. The cold rolled flat steel import decreased by 21.1% to 912,834 tonnes. The galvanizing steel import increased by 0.7% to 356,544 tonnes. The hot rolled steel import increased by 16.1% to 160,017 tonnes in December from November. The cold rolled steel import increased by 19.9% to 95,330 tonnes and the galvanizing steel import increased by 3.1% to 28,427 tonnes. The hot, cold and coated steel import increased by 28.6% to 188,143 tonnes from South Korea in 2006 from 2005. The import increased by 15.9% to 21,481 tonnes from China while the import from Taiwan decreased by 5.7% to 72,282 tonnes. The H-beam import decreased by 7.9% to 140,234 tonnes in 2006 from 2005, which reached 100,000 tonnes for 2 years in a row after the import reached 100,000 tonnes for the first time in 14 years. The import was 152,770 tonnes in 2005.