Japan launches anti-dumping probes into hot-rolled, cold-rolled steel imports from China, South Korea, Taiwan

• Nippon Steel, JFE, Kobe Steel, Nakayama Steel seek AD duties on flat steel imports
  
  
• Target imports account for 20-25% of Japan's domestic flat steel demand
  
  

Japan Metal Daily: Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and Ministry of Finance (MOF) on 1 June launched anti-dumping (AD) investigations into imports of hot-rolled coils/sheets and cold-rolled coils/sheets from China, South Korea, and Taiwan following petitions filed by major domestic steelmakers including Nippon Steel, JFE Steel, Kobe Steel, and Nakayama Steel Works.

The investigations cover a broad range of flat steel products, including coil-shaped plates, thin plates, and medium plates used in automobiles, construction, machinery, and containers. Certain products such as polished strip steel have been excluded from the probe. The applications seeking AD duties were accepted on 27 February 2026.

This marks Japan's second major AD investigation involving primary steel products after earlier probes into nickel-based stainless cold-rolled sheets and hot-dip galvanised steel sheets (GI). However, the latest investigation is expected to have a wider impact on the domestic market given the substantially larger consumption base of hot-rolled and cold-rolled flat steel products.

According to the applications filed by domestic producers, imports from China, South Korea, and Taiwan in FY'25 totalled around 1.31 million tonnes (mnt) for hot-rolled products and approximately 780,000 tonnes (t) for cold-rolled products. Imports from the targeted regions accounted for nearly 20% of Japan's domestic demand for hot-rolled products and 25% for cold-rolled products, significantly increasing their influence on the local market.

The applicants alleged that imported material from the three regions was frequently sold below domestic market prices, leading to repeated demands for price reductions in Japan's local market and keeping operating profit margins under pressure for domestic mills.

The AD applications also claimed that export prices from the targeted countries and regions remained below "normal prices" calculated on the basis of manufacturing costs and related factors.

For hot-rolled steel products, the estimated dumping margins were calculated at 20-40% for South Korea, 20-40% for China, and 3-20% for Taiwan. In cold-rolled products, the estimated dumping margins stood at 10-30% for South Korea, 30-50% for China, and 2-15% for Taiwan. The pricing investigation covered the period between April 2025 and March 2026.

The applications specifically identified POSCO and Hyundai Steel in South Korea, Baowu Steel and Wuhan Steel in China, and China Steel Corporation (CSC) in Taiwan among the suppliers of the targeted steel products.

Outlook

The latest AD investigations indicate rising trade protection measures in Asia's flat steel markets amid growing concerns over import penetration and pricing pressure from overseas suppliers.

Given the scale of imports involved and the importance of hot-rolled and cold-rolled products across downstream manufacturing sectors, the outcome of the investigations could significantly influence Japans domestic flat steel pricing, import flows, and regional trade dynamics going forward.

Note: This article has been written in accordance with a content exchange agreement between Japan Metal Daily and BigMint.