Production and Technology of Iron and Steel in Japan during 2012

摘要

Trends in the prices of iron ore, metallurgical coal, and other raw materials and fuels remained unstable, as in recent years, and steel demand was sluggish, dragged down by the fiscal crisis in Europe, slowing growth in China, and exces- sive appreciation of the yen, which continued until the autumn of 2012. Against this backdrop, new companies such as Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation and Nisshin Steel Holdings were launched, and moves to restructure the iron and steel industry progressed, including the steel distribution processing industry, steel-related trad- ing companies, and others.