In October this year, Japan's hot rolled plate and sheet shipments decreased by 1.97 percent compared to September and were down 8.92 percent on year-on-year basis, amounting to 846,779 metric tons. 76.50 percent of shipments were made to the domestic market, while the remaining 23.5 percent were made to the export markets, according to the Japan Iron and Steel Federation (JISF) data.

In October, Japan's hot rolled strip shipments amounted to 1.22 million mt, down 8.68 percent from September and down 4.16 percent year on year. 30 percent of shipments were made to the domestic market, while the remaining 70 percent were made to the export markets. In October, Japan's hot rolled strip production amounted to 1.23 million mt, down 6.45 percent compared to September and down 6.66 percent year on year.

Meanwhile, the average domestic price for HR plate and sheet in Japan in October this year was JPY 79,000/mt (approx. $750/mt), up by JPY 2,000/mt (approx. $19/mt ) compared to previous month and stable compared with the same month of 2012. The average domestic price for HR strip in the month in question was JPY 65,000/mt (approx. $618/mt), up by JPY 1,000/mt (approx. $10/mt ) both compared to previous month and the same month of 2012.