Japan Steel Export Continues to Decrease in April

Japanese carbon steel export decreased by 10.3% to 2.029 million tonnes in April from a year earlier, which represented year-to-year minus for 8 straight months, announced by Japan Iron and Steel Federation on June 1. The export decreased to South Korea, Taiwan, China and Thailand when Asian steel market weakened mainly due to Chinese steel makers’ output expansion. By month-to-month comparison, the export volume downed by 21.8% and continued to decrease for 3 months in a row.

The total export, including special steel and secondary products, decreased by 9.4% to 3.093 million tonnes in April from a year earlier, which represented year-to-year minus for 14 straight months. The total export value was US$ 3.654 billion or 300.6 billion yen, both decreasing year-to-year for 6 months in a row.

Among carbon steels, galvanized steel sheet export decreased by 18.8% to 340,000 tonnes in April from a year earlier. The steel plate decreased by 1.8% to 308,000 tonnes, cold-rolled wide strip decreased by 27.2% to 230,000 tonnes, electrical steel sheet decreased by 16.8% to 71,000 tonnes and shape steel decreased by 2.9% to 68,000 tonnes. Hot-rolled wide strip increased by 2.9% to 704,000 tonnes, seamless steel pipe increased by 6.8% to 51,000 tonnes and wire rod increased by 23.5% to 41,000 tonnes.

By countries, the total steel export decreased by 21.3% to 658,000 tonnes to South Korea in April from a year earlier. The export decreased by 14.8% to 487,000 tonnes to China, decreased by 0.8% to 416,000 tonnes to Thailand, and decreased by 18.3% to 243,000 tonnes to Taiwan. The export to the USA increased by 10.0% to 198,000 tonnes, which marked continuous year-to-year plus for 9 months thanks to car makers’ output expansion.