Nikkei Asia: US steel production exceeds Japan's for first time in 26 years

Politics
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Hmm, for some reason, I can’t find this in the American press.

I dunno. Seems newsworthy to me.

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US steel production exceeds Japan’s for first time in 26 years

Trump tariffs, AI data center construction boom lifted industry in 2025

27 January 2026

NEW YORK – U.S. crude steel production surpassed Japan’s in 2025 for the first time in 26 years, making it the world’s third-largest producer after China and India, a result of production increases stemming from President Donald Trump’s tariff policies and a boom in artificial intelligence data center construction.

U.S. crude steel production in 2025 was up 3.1% to 82 million tons, the first rise in two years, according to the World Steel Association. It marked the first time the U.S. has surpassed Japan since 1999.

The growth is due in large part to the Trump administration’s tariff policies. In March, the U.S. slapped an additional 25% on imported steel and aluminum products, then raised the rate again to 50% in June. U.S. manufacturers, anticipating that imported steel would become more expensive and demand for domestic products would swell, boosted production.

The tariffs have driven up U.S. steel prices. Hot-rolled steel coils used in manufacturing and other industries were priced at $983 per ton as of Jan. 12, the highest since the price hit $993 in late May, according to U.S. research firm SteelBenchmarker.

The figure is double the global export price and a 30% jump over January 2025, when Trump took office for his second term.

U.S. domestic steel shipments in November were up 5% on the year, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute.

Demand is growing for steel used in the construction of data centers and power plants, driven by the AI boom. Private-sector construction spending for data centers more than doubled in the two years through January 2025, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Nippon Steel, which acquired U.S. Steel for about $14.1 billion last June, plans to invest billions of dollars in the U.S. to mass-produce high-grade steel for data centers and other applications. With tariffs driving up prices and strong domestic demand, the U.S. is becoming an attractive destination for foreign investors. . . .

Paywall: US steel production exceeds Japan's for first time in 26 years - Nikkei Asia

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FOX will pick it up and run with it. :wink:

Libs media will ignore it.

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Wait so nippon steel acquired US steel for only 14 billion dollars? Jeez some video game company buyouts are larger than that monetarily speaking.

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So it surpassed and matched production during the last time there were dem presidents and no similar tarrifs? Or wait there were Clinton tarrifs but those were decried as lib economics. That’s some kind of achievement.

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You have to understand. We are doing as well as we did under Clinton and Biden because of Trump policies. It’s very important that you understand that!

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1999 was the tail end of a tech bubble.

This steel is being used to build (ai) the new tech bubble. This is def something to celebrate.

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Actually $10b . . . and a promise to invest $4 in upgrades and new facilities.

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  • If the tech sector flatlines for 19 consecutive years (despite rising GDP) and then has a champion year, you would consider it important.

  • If the legal industry flatlines for 19 consecutive years (despite rising GDP) and then has a champion year, you might consider it important.

  • If medical research . . .

  • or the minimum wage . . .

  • or women’s rights . . .

  • or education . . .

  • or immigration . . .

  • or your favorite sports team or rock band . . .
    flatlines for 19 consecutive years (despite rising GDP) and then has a champion year, you might consider it important.

I guess it all depends on what you consider important.

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I consider it important.

“Higher than” now isn’t flat lining it means it was “lower than” before.

That’s a poorly written sentence let me know if it makes sense

Anyway the achievement is there

It’s the “because of” i question

The tariffs could be the reason. Though the same events occurring 2 years ago and 27 years ago throw a bit of a monkey wrench into it.

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Perhaps I misunderstand.

US steel production, after nose-diving for decades has flatlined for 19 consecutive years.

In 2025 it had a nice year.
I am not sure that data centers realy usea ll that much steel, but the article mentioned tham as a possible casue so . . . I’ll roll with it.

Anyway after 19 years stuck in park it had a good year.

If that happened in A, or B, or C or anything you (generic) deem important, its recovery would also be important.
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“For 19 consecutive years college enrollments stagnated, then . . .”

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I also see the issue now :blush:

Stagnated and flatlined aren’t the same thing

I agree with stagnation.

It’s not flat lining. (I guess visually it is but not grammatically :blush:)

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Article reads:

U.S. crude steel production in 2025 was up 3.1% to 82 million tons, the first rise in two years, according to the World Steel Association. It marked the first time the U.S. has surpassed Japan since 1999.

I am not sure what your charts are showing us
None of them (completely) cover the period in question.
None of them includes Japan.

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That’s crazy. Microsoft spent 57 billion dollars buying Activision-Blizzard. Guess entertainment is more valuable than hard assets.

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LOL that’s actually partly true.
The real economics has to do with “stuff you can brand” and “stuff you can’t.”

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Bread and Circus :wink:

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Also autos…but that makes sense data centers.

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Nippon Steel will be delighted to hear their purchase is paying off so quickly.

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Costs a lot of money to make steel.

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The article came with a graph.

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