Japan Iron and Steel Federation recently released data show that Japan in 2017 crude steel production fell 0.1% year on year to 104 million tons, reduced for three consecutive years.

    In terms of the type of steel, ordinary steel production, widely used in automotive and construction steel, was down 1.5% to 79.56 million tonnes. High-intensity specialty steel production increased 4.4% to 25.09 million tons.The Japan Iron and Steel Federation said that the decline in crude steel production was mainly negatively affected by the regular maintenance of steel mills blast furnaces. Domestic demand for steel for the automotive and construction industries remains high, and crude steel output is expected to increase in 2018 compared to 2017.In addition, the data show that crude steel production in December 2017 increased by 0.1% YoY to 8.71mt, an increase of two consecutive months. Ordinary steel production decreased 1.5% YoY to 6.61mt, a decrease of 3 consecutive months. The output of specialty steel increased 5.5% YoY to 2.1m tonnes, a two-month increase.