Tokyo Steel adds to Japan's price-rise momentum

Japan's largest mini-mill, Tokyo Steel Manufacturing, has lent its weight to moves to push domestic market prices higher by raising the list prices of all its products by another Yen 3,000-5,000/tonne ($18.9-31.3/t) for sales in May, according to a company statement. The increase follows the Yen 3,000-5,000/t rise the mill had announced for April sales, as Mysteel Global reported.

"The procurement prices of major raw materials, energy, and key materials related to manufacturing are expected to rise," the company said, citing the ongoing hostilities in the Middle East and their effect on commodity prices. "The movement to correct selling prices in order to restore the profitability of steel manufacturers is expected to continue," it warned in the statement.

By product, the prices for H-beams, I-beams, channels, sheet piles, hot-rolled coils, pickled coils, hot-dip galvanized coils and others have been raised by Yen 5,000/t, and those for square pipes, deformed bars, and heavy plates by Yen 3,000/t, according to the price list posted on its website.

The rises announced Monday marked the first time in four years that Tokyo Steel has lifted product prices for two successive months, namely for April and May, 2022. They follow others announced over the past several weeks by integrated mills Nippon Steel and JFE Steel, other mini-mills such as Kyoei Steel, Yamato Steel and JFE Bars & Shapes, and by rollers such as Chubu Plate, and suggest the price slump may be ending, Mysteel Global notes.

"Many in the distribution sector in Tokyo and Osaka, where business partners are concentrated, generally accepted the price increase calmly, saying that (Tokyo Steel's rise) was 'as expected' and 'the price increase is natural, considering the procurement attitude of raw materials'," observed industry daily, Tekko Shimbun, in a commentary on Tuesday.

"In addition, there was also a view that (its second straight price rise) would support the formation of a market with a continuous growth trend," it suggested, adding that Tokyo Steel's intention is "not to give up adding to its prices in the future."

Tokyo Steel's May 2026 finished steel list prices (incomplete)

Product	Yen/tonne	$/t (equivalent)	Price change
Galvanized coil (SGC400, 0.6-0.7mm)	137,000	861	+5,000
Pickled cut sheet (SPHC, 1.6mm 914x1,829mm)	115,000	723	+5,000
U-sheet pile (SY295)	122,000	767	+5,000
Square pipe (TSC295, 150x150mm, 6mm thick)	126,000	792	+3,000
Pickled coil (SPHC, 1.7-6mm)	104,000	654	+5,000
Hot cut sheet (SPHC, 1.6mm,914x1,829mm)	100,000	629	+5,000
I-beam (SS400, 150x125mm)	118,000	742	+5,000
Plate (SS400, 9-40mm)	105,000	660	+3,000
H-beam (SS400, 100x200mm)	113,000	710	+5,000
HRC (SPHC, 1.7-22mm)	98,000	616	+5,000
Channel (SS400, 100x50mm)	113,000	710	+5,000
Rebar (SD295A, 13-25mm dia)	90,000	566	+3,000

Source: Tokyo Steel Manufacturing

Written by Russ McCulloch, russ.mcculloch@mysteel.com

Edited by Alyssa Ren, rentingting@mysteel.com