After years of being in a slump, Japan's steelmakers are again enjoying strong demand, buoyed by China's red-hot hunger for everything used to make buildings, bridges and other social infrastructure.
Industry officials and analysts say consolidation in the sector has also helped steelmakers overcome the difficult decades.
With blast furnaces and mills running at almost full capacity, Japan's crude steel production for the year through March rose 1.1 percent to 111 million tons, a level not seen since fiscal 1990, the Japan Iron and Steel Federation said.