Japan Carbon Steel Import Drops by 5.7% in 1H

Japanese carbon steel import decreased by 5.7% to 1.885 million tonnes in January-June from same period of 2007, announced by Japan Iron and Steel Federation on Wednesday. The import decreased by 0.4% to 325,849 tonnes for processed steel products and by 39.9% to 108,417 tonnes for special steel products. The import decreased by 54.4% to 28,261 tonnes for H-beam in the first half year from same period of 2007. The import increased by 3.4% to 7,583 tonnes for steel bar while the wire rod import decreased by 12.4% to 124,975 tonnes. The sheet steel import decreased by 3.1% to 864,882 tonnes for hot rolled flat steel, by 1.3% to 469,197 tonnes for cold rolled sheet and by 10.6% to 173,454 tonnes for galvanizing steel while the plate import increased by 4.5% to 122,101 tonnes. The import was 1.102 million tonnes from South Korea in the first half year. The import was 341,720 tonnes from China and 373,816 tonnes from Taiwan. The carbon steel import increased by 6.4% to 340,327 tonnes in June from a year earlier. The volume decreased by 4.1% from May, which represents first drop in 4 months.