Japanese Flat steel export volumes registered decline in CY 17 amid strong domestic demand from automobile and construction sectors.Also flat steel exports made to China fell by 17% in CY17.
According to latest customs data released, Japan flat steel exports which includes 7208 (HR coils /Plates), 7209 (CR coils), 7225 (Electrical sheets),7210/7212(GP/GC) reported decline of 9.4% in CY 17.
Nation has exported 25.34 MnT of flat steel as compared to 27.94 MnT in similar time frame of previous year.
On monthly basis country’s flat steel exports witness the fall of 4% in Dec’17 to 2.17 MnT against 2.09 MnT in Nov’17.
Also on yearly basis the same reported fall of 3.9% against 2.26 MnT in Dec’16.
Decline in export volumes is reflected by strong demand in domestic market-Strong domestic demand from construction and automobile sectors in Japan has resultant to fall in flat steel export volumes in CY17. Also owing to upcoming Tokyo Olympics 2020, domestic steel demand in the country is robust.
Imported HRC to Vietnam which is one of the major importers of flat steel from Japan fall by 11% to 1.93 MnT in CY17 against 2.17 MnT in CY16 since Vietnamese buyers switched to cheaper material from India and China.
Japan: Commodity Wise Flat Steel Exports in CY17
| Sub Commodity | CY17 | CY16 | Y-o-Y (Change in %) |
Dec’17 | Nov’17 | M-o-M (Change in %) |
| HRC/Plate | 13.86 | 15.85 | -12.5 | 1.22 | 1.07 | 14.01 |
| Electrical Steel | 5.82 | 6.11 | -4.74 | 0.47 | 0.53 | -11.32 |
| Galvanized Steel | 3.01 | 3.21 | -6.23 | 0.24 | 0.25 | -4 |
| CRC | 2.51 | 2.66 | -5.63 | 0.21 | 0.22 | -4.5 |
| Others | 0.15 | 0.11 | 36.3 | 0.02 | 0.01 | 100 |
| Grand Total | 25.36 | 27.94 | -9% | 2.16 | 2.08 | -4% |
Quantity in MnT
Source-SteelMint Research
China occupied largest share of Japan flat steel exports in CY17- China was the major flat steel importer of Japan and has occupied the share of 17% which is summed upto 4.21 MnT in CY17.
Second largest flat steel importing nation from Japan was Thailand which stood at 4.13 MnT (accounted for 16% of share),followed by South Korea at 3.28 MnT (contributes 13% of share) Vietnam at 1.93 MnT (occupied 8% of share) and Mexico at 1.79 MnT ( accounts for 7%) in CY17.
Also Indian mills have imported 1.09 MnT of flat steel comprises of 4% of share from Japan in CY17.
However on monthly basis Japan has exported 0.39 MnT of flat steel to China which moved up by 15% to 0.39 MnT in Dec’17 as compared to 0.34 MnT in Nov’16.
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