In January this year, Japan’s iron and steel product exports amounted to 2.39 million metric tons, down 14.9 percent month on month and decreasing by 2.9 percent year on year, according to the customs statistics released by the Japan Iron and Steel Federation (JISF).

Regarding Japan’s major iron and steel product export markets, in January the country’s iron and steel exports to South Korea totaled 399,600 metric tons, up 22.8 percent, while exports to China decreased by 24.8 percent to 300,693 metric tons, the export volume to Taiwan amounted to 137,271 metric tons, down by 14.2 percent, exports to Thailand totaled 317,746 metric tons, falling by 24.9 percent, while exports to the US totaled 81,378 metric tons, rising by 16.3 percent, all year on year.