【SMM Steel】Japan's steel exports fall 6.7% y-o-y in April

Published: Jun 2, 2026 18:20

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【SMM Steel】Japan's steel exports fell 6.7% y-o-y to 2.28 million tonnes in April, marking the sixth consecutive monthly decline, mainly due to lower shipments to South Korea and Taiwan. Total exports in Jan-Apr 2026 reached 9.27 million tonnes, down 9.3% y-o-y. METI forecast crude steel output for April-June to decline 1% y-o-y to 60.9 million tonnes, citing weak demand from China and SE Asia and trade measures against Japan. Risks include Middle East oil supply disruptions, falling regional demand, and China rerouting exports to the Middle East.

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