According to the Japan Iron and Steel Federation (JISF), Japan's crude steel production totaled around 6.8 million tons in January, increasing by 3% compared to the previous month while slightly falling by 0.5% from the same month a year ago.

In terms of pig iron, the output was nearly 5 million tons, increasing by 3.4% month on month but falling by 2% year on year.

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) predicted continued production growth through the first quarter of 2026. Despite soft market demand, METI expects total crude steel output to hit 20.05 million tons during this three-month period.