- May imports fall 6.3% y-o-y amid lower China, Taiwan volumes
- Vietnam records highest-ever monthly shipments to Japan
JapanMetalDaily: Japan’s imports of nickel-based stainless steel cold-rolled (CR) sheets declined 6.3% year-on-year (y-o-y) to 14,124 t in May 2026, reflecting a sharp fall in shipments from China and Taiwan following the country’s ongoing anti-dumping (AD) investigation.
Imports from China dropped 68% y-o-y to 2,701 t, while Taiwan’s shipments declined 62% y-o-y to 1,198 t. In contrast, imports from South Korea more than doubled to 5,409 t, strengthening its position as Japan’s largest supplier. Shipments from other origins increased nearly six-fold to 4,816 t, supported by higher volumes from Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, India, and Malaysia.
Among the emerging suppliers, Vietnam recorded its highest-ever monthly exports to Japan at 2,145 t, accounting for around 15% of total nickel-based stainless steel CR imports.
Japan’s total imports of nickel-based stainless steel CR sheets during January-May 2026 stood at 58,177 t, down 23% y-o-y. South Korea accounted for 36% of imports, followed by China (21%), Taiwan (13%), Indonesia (9%), and Vietnam (8%).
The shift in sourcing comes after Japan initiated an anti-dumping investigation into nickel-based stainless steel cold-rolled products from China and Taiwan in July 2025. The preliminary findings, released earlier this month, have accelerated diversification towards alternative Asian suppliers, particularly South Korea and Vietnam.
Note: This article is published as part of a content exchange agreement between JapanMetalDaily and BigMint.
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