Record Import Volume in September
According to data from Japan’s Ministry of Finance, Japan’s steel imports in September 2024 surged to nearly 641,000 tons, marking the highest monthly import volume of the year. This represents a 21.8% increase from August and a 0.6% rise compared to the same period last year.

Breakdown of Import Sources

• Asia: Japan imported 564,000 tons of steel from Asian countries, comprising the majority of its total steel imports. However, this figure shows a 1.4% year-over-year decrease.
  • China: Imports from China grew by 7%, reaching 126,000 tons.
  • South Korea: Imports fell by 4.8%, totaling 319,000 tons.
  • ASEAN Countries: Imports dropped significantly by 46.6%, down to 22,000 tons.

Other Regions

• Russia: Imports from Russia saw a sharp decline of 81%, with only 1,700 tons imported.
• European Union: Imports fell by 16.5%, to 6,100 tons.
• United States: Imports also decreased by 16.5%, totaling just 400 tons.