In October this year, Japan's industrial production increased 0.5 percent from the previous month, while output increased by 4.7 percent from October in the previous year, according to the preliminary indices of the Industrial Production report published by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI).
In October of the current year, the Japanese iron and steel production index increased by 0.6 percent month on month, while Japan's seasonally adjusted iron and steel production index rose 5.9 percent compared to October 2012. Meanwhile, in October this year Japanese producers' iron and steel shipments decreased by four percent and iron and steel inventories were up by five percent, both compared to the previous month.
On the other hand, according to the ministry's preliminary Current Survey of Production report, in October this year Japan produced 7.17 million mt of pig iron, up 5.7 percent, 9.53 million mt of crude steel, up 7.9 percent, and 9.31 million mt of semi-finished steel, up 8.1 percent, all compared to October 2012.
According to the ministry's Survey of Production Forecast in Manufacturing, Japanese industrial production is expected to increase by 0.9 percent in November and by 2.1 percent in December, both month on month. Meanwhile, Japanese iron and steel production is expected to increase by 6.8 percent in November and by 1.5 percent in December, month on month.