Japan Carbon Steel Export Declines by 6.2% in April

Japanese carbon steel export decreased by 6.2% to 2.261 million tonnes in April from a year earlier, which decreased for 2 months in a row, announced by Japan Iron and Steel Federation on Wednesday. The export decreased by 16.1% from March, which decreased for the first time in 3 months. The export apparently decreased due to impact of the major earth quake including damage on Sumitomo Metal Industries’ Kashima steel works and disruption of distribution network. The export was also impacted when the overseas buyers tried to avoid radiation pollution due to accident at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station.

Japanese total steel export including pig iron and ferroalloy decreased by 2.6% to 3.415 million tonnes in April from a year earlier, which decreased for 2 months in a row. However, the export was the second highest volume in April after 3.506 million tonnes in April 2010. The export value was US$ 4.087 billion or 339.5 billion yen in April 2011, both of which increased for 16 months in a row in year to year base.

The carbon steel export increased by 17.4% to 313,000 tonnes for plate in April from a year earlier, which increased for the first time in 2 months. The export increased by 15.5% to 85,000 tonnes for electrical steel, which increased for 17 months in a row. The sections export increased by 15.7% to 70,000 tonnes, which increased for the first time in 4 months.

The export decreased by 9.1% to 684,000 tonnes for hot rolled wide strip in April from a year earlier. The export decreased by 13.4% to 418,000 tonnes for galvanized sheet and by 9.4% to 316,000 tonnes for cold rolled wide strip. The export decreased by 13.2% to 80,000 tonnes for welded pipes and by 11.5% to 48,000 tonnes for seamless pipes. The export decreased by 18.9% to 33,000 tonnes for wire rod and by 42.3% to 32,000 tonnes for bar.

The total steel export decreased by 5.5% to 837,000 tonnes for South Korea in April from a year earlier, which decreased for 5 months in a row. The export decreased by 15.2% to 571,000 tonnes for China and by 1.2% to 297,000 tonnes for Taiwan. The export increased by 12.2% to 419,000 tonnes, which increased for the first time in 2 months. The export for USA increased by 45.6% to 180,000 tonnes, which increased for 2 months in a row.