Japan Special Steel Export Decreases by 17% in F2005

Japanese special steel export decreased by 17% to 4.74 million tonnes in volume in fiscal 2005 ended March 2006 from the previous year, which increased by 9.7% to US$ 7.79663 billion in value, according to Special Steel Association of Japan. The export value increased thanks to surging prices of raw materials, though the export volume declined.The export volume increased to 258 tonnes in fiscal 2005 for cored steel for tools, 7.2 times of fiscal 2004. High-speed steel increased by 2% to 4,344 tonnes, bar for special purposes by 6.3% to 47,942 tonnes and pipe increased by 24.4% to 245,209 tonnes. Stainless steel ingot and semi-finished products increased to 3,504 tonnes, 4.6 times of fiscal 2004. Alloy steel increased by 23.1% to 224,708 tonnes. On the other hand, high-carbon steel decreased by 90.9% to 8,044 tonnes, carbon tool steel by 70.1% to 1,483 tonnes and piano wire by 54.4% to 60,857 tonnes.The export decreased by 28% to 1.212 million tonnes bound for China in fiscal 2005 from fiscal 2004, by 17.3% to 716,000 tonnes for South Korea, by 0.1% to 472,000 tonnes for the U.S.A. and by 36.4% to 331,000 tonnes for Taiwan. On the other hand, the export for Thailand increased by 6.1% to 558,000 tonnes.