Japan Carbon Steel Export Rises by 3.8% in February

Japanese carbon steel export increased by 3.8% to 2.478 million tonnes in February from a year earlier, which increased for the first time in 3 months, announced by Japan Iron and Steel Federation on Friday. The export increased by 6.1% from January, which increased for the first time in 2 months. The export increased to China and Southeast Asia while the export decreased for South Korea. The export should decrease in March when the major earthquake damaged steel works in eastern Japan and some steel makers have suspended the shipment.

The steel export including special steel increased by 8.6% to 3.716 million tonnes in February from a year earlier. The export hit record as February topping former February record of 3.536 million tonnes in 2008. The steel export also hit record in January. The export value was US$ 4.118 billion or 339.1 billion yen in February, which increased from a year earlier for 14 months in a row.

The carbon steel hot rolled wide strip export increased by 7.7% to 814,000 tonnes in February from a year earlier, which increased for the first time in 3 months. The carbon steel export increased by 2.6% to 416,000 tonnes for galvanized sheet and by 5.8% to 332,000 tonnes for plate. The export increased by 7.2% to 327,000 tonnes for cold rolled wide strip and by 10.8% to 77,000 tonnes for electrical steel. The export increased by 37.3% to 65,000 tonnes for seamless pipe and by 12.2% to 49,000 tonnes for wire rod.

The carbon steel section steels export decreased by 1.0% to 94,000 tonnes in February from a year earlier. The export decreased by 13.3% to 82,000 tonnes for welded pipe and by 45.7% to 36,000 tonnes for bar.

The steel export including special steel decreased by 9.5% to 776,000 tonnes for the largest destination of South Korea in February from a year earlier, which decreased for 3 months in a row. However, the export increased by 6.7% to 615,000 tonnes for China and by 7.5% to 381,000 tonnes for Thailand. The export increased by 8.0% to 316,000 tonnes for Taiwan while the export decreased by 0.4% to 125,000 tonnes.