Japan Carbon Steel Export Drops by 2.5% in August

Japanese carbon steel export decreased by 2.5% to 2.23 million tonnes in August from a year earlier, which represents decreases for 11 months in a row, announced by Japan Iron and Steel Federation on Thursday. The export increased by 8.7% from July, which increased for 3 months in a row, due to higher export to China and South Korea. The special steel export increased by 12.3% to 462,000 tonnes. The export supports the domestic production under slower domestic demand for construction and machinery.

The total steel export increased by 3.4% to 3.41 million tonnes in August from a year earlier, which increased for the first time in 11 months. The export increased by 6.3% from July, which increased for 4 months in a row. The export value decreased for the first time in 3 months due to higher yen rate and lower export price for plate and pipe.

The carbon steel export increased to 2 times at 36,000 tonnes for steel bar, by 31.7% to 31,000 tonnes for welded and forge welded pipe, by 19.3% to 852,000 tonnes for hot rolled wide strip, by 11.3% to 335,000 tonnes for plate and by 7.4% to 71,000 tonnes for shapes, by 6.9% to 59,000 tonnes for electrogalvanizing steel and by 3.8% to 344,000 tonnes for galvanizing steel in August from July. The volume increased for hot rolled wide strip, cold rolled wide strip and wire rod from a year earlier level.

The total steel export increased by 16.4% to 920,000 tonnes for South Korea in August from a year earlier. The export increased by 9.5% to 624,000 tonnes for China and by 20.7% to 358,000 tonnes for Taiwan. The export, however, decreased by 27.6% to 294,000 tonnes for Thailand and by 26.6% to 90,000 tonnes for USA.