Japan's Export Dependency

摘要

Without a dramatic response to the Bank of Japan's recently announced monetary stimulus measures, Japanese steel production in 2013 seems set to record its second lowest annual total in the last 12 years. Monthly output in February was at its weakest level since September 2009 (8.3 Mt), while the country's Ministry of Economy, Trade & Industry (METI) is predicting that steel production in April-June 2013 will be down by almost 7% year-on-year (to 26.4 Mt).