Exports fell year on year due to demand destruction amid the pandemic, while monthly exports rose as domestic consumption increased with Japanese carmakers working to restore sales to pre-COVID-19 levels.

For instance, Toyota Motor Corp. said Sept. 29 that its August global sales had recovered to 90% of pre-COVID-19 levels, although they were 10.6% lower from August 2019, at 720,765 units. Toyota's August production stood at 722,934 units, down 10.6% year on year.

Of the total, hot-rolled coils exported in August totaled 998,562 mt, up 17.2% from July but down 10% against August 2019.

Meanwhile, exports of ordinary carbon steel in August rose 10.1% from July but fell 14.5% on the year to 1.76 million mt, the data showed.

Exports of specialty steel products in August stood at 388,668 mt, up 8.8% month on month but down 35.8% on the year.

Of the export destinations, only China saw a year-on-year increase in volumes. It received 637,545 mt in August, up 52.4% on the year and down 1.2% on the month.

August marked the third straight month that China was a net importer of steel, receiving 3.22 million mt of semi-finished steel products, up 25% from July, and up 11-fold on the year, China customs data showed.

On the semi-finished products' front, Japan exported lower volumes on the month as well, down 17% from July at 301,547 mt, customs data showed.

Exports to China slumped the most -- down 31% to 78,436 mt. Volumes to Taiwan and South Korea also fell -- down 15% and 7.8%, respectively, to 92,784 mt and 75,223 mt.

For the first eight months, however, semi-finished exports rose by 37% on the year to 2.71 million mt.

However, overall steel exports fell on the year for the January-August period -- down 1% year on year at 22.15 million mt, the data showed.

-- Clement Choo, Samuel Chin