Japan produced 7.17 million tonnes of crude steel in May, rising 1.6% month on month (MoM) yet falling 6.3% year on year (YoY), according to data released by the Japan Iron and Steel Federation.

The output of ordinary steel was 5.55 million tonnes, dipping 0.1% MoM and 7.0% YoY; that of special steel was 1.62 million tonnes, up 7.9% MoM but down 3.6% YoY.

In May, Japan's blast furnace steel production stood at 5.28 million tonnes, increasing 3.2% MoM yet declining 5.7% YoY; electric furnace steel output was 1.89 million tonnes, down 2.6% MoM and 7.8% YoY.

The production of hot-rolled coils in Japan was 3.06 million tonnes over the same month, growing 8.0% MoM but falling 6.4% YoY; H-beam steel production stood at 274,000 tonnes, advancing 8.3% MoM yet decreasing 18.2% YoY, data showed.

The production of pig iron was registered at 5.18 million tonnes in May, up 2.9% MoM yet down 5.5% YoY.

Japan's crude steel production totaled 35.67 million tonnes over the first five months this year, down 2.3% YoY; the output of pig iron declined 2.8% YoY to 25.60 million tonnes.