Japan’s cold-rolled stainless steel imports hit new high for 2026 in July

According to trade data released by Japan’s Ministry of Finance on August 28, Japan imported around 18,100 tons of cold-rolled stainless steel sheets in July 2026, down by 1.8% year on year yet up by 7.9% month on month. This was the highest monthly import volume so far this year, partly due to increased purchases ahead of the implementation of anti-dumping measures. 

Among all the buyer countries, South Korea was the largest one, with exports to Japan reaching 8,890 tons. While imports from China fell by 62.6% to 3,460 tons, imports from Taiwan dropped by 71.5% to 1,400 tons.