Crude steel production in January plunged 37.8 percent from a year earlier to 6.37 million tons, posting the sharpest fall since comparable data became available in January 1949, an industry body said Wednesday.
The global recession blunted demand, sending national output of crude steel to a record low for a second consecutive month, data by the Japan Iron and Steel Federation showed.
Crude steel fell a steep 27.9 percent in December from a year ago.
Japan's steelmakers have been slashing output to cope with plunging demand for cars.
The January figure marks the fourth consecutive month output has dropped below year-before levels.
Output of ordinary steel, used in a wide range of industrial products, fell 35.1 percent from a year ago to 5.18 million tons, while that of specialty steel plunged 47.6 percent to 1.19 million tons.