SMM4, March 8: Nippon Railway said Tuesday it will leave two blast furnaces idle in eastern and western Japan in response to falling demand for steel in cars and buildings during the coronavirus epidemic. Together, the two furnaces can produce 15% of the company's total capacity.

Nippon Railway said the No. 1 blast furnace at the Kagoshima plant in Ibaraki Prefecture will stop production in mid-April and the No. 1 blast furnace at the Wakayama plant in Wakayama Prefecture will stop production later in the same month.

Together, the two furnaces can produce 15% of the company's total capacity.

As a result of a trade dispute between China and the United States, Nippon Railway has left a blast furnace idle in a factory in Wu City, Hiroshima Prefecture.

The company also said that since the beginning of this month, a total of about 30000 employees have worked in locations such as headquarters and domestic steel mills, reducing working hours.

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