Japanese exports of hot rolled steel to the U.S., which have become the target of an antidumping claim by the American steel industry, took another plunge in January to hit 294 tons, down 74.7 percent from December and 99.7 percent from a year ago, according to a government report issued Tuesday.
The drop marks the fourth consecutive month-on-month decline since hot rolled steel exports to the U.S. peaked in September at 373,000 tons, the report notes.
Japan's overall export of steel and iron to the U.S. reached 233,000 tons as of January, down 35.8 percent from the previous month and off 25.6 percent from the year before, it says.