Japan is the only country in Asia that has reached the heights of industrial development on its own, which is difficult for even the resourceful countries to reach. Developed nations like USA, UK and Germany are bound to accept the iron of the industrial statue of Japan, where industrial development has taken place at a rapid pace despite industrial inconveniences such as lack of raw material, energy source and local market. Japan imports almost half of its requirement of coal, iron, mineral oil and many other minerals, but national income has been increasing day by day due to industrial production and availability of worldwide market. In the year 2006, the national income per capita here was about $ 38410, which is said to be higher than the developed nations.
The first peak of industrial development in Japan occurred before World War II, but it was greatly damaged by the war. But due to dedication, determination and national spirit, he made his new construction meaningful by 1955. Industrial production increased by 20 percent between 1955 and 1960 and 400 percent between 1960 and 1970. In 1970, Japan became the fourth largest industrialized nation after the United States, Russia and Germany. Today half of its population comes from industries. The industries that predominate in Japan include metallurgy, machinery, power plants, textiles, transport goods, scientific materials, agricultural products, electronics, and wooden goods. In addition to these, embroidery, paper printing, micro-tools, artificial thread and home furnishings are also important industrial productions.
Iron and Steel Industry -
Modern type of steel production started in Japan from 1901. The government set up the first industry in Yawata, a small village in north-eastern Kyushu along the Shimonoseki Strait in the middle of Honshu, close to Japan's largest coal-producing region. Due to the location of this village near the bay, coal was easily imported from China. In 1967, the Yawata Company produced 25 percent of Japan's cast iron and 19 percent of its steel. The development of this industry continued till the 1930s, because the military government got full cooperation in its development. But after the World War, this industrial center was repaired and again the production of steel started increasing.
Steel production in Japan increased by 100 percent in 1967 compared to 1961. Compared to other countries of the world, the production of steel in Japan has been increasing at a faster rate. This is the reason why it has become the second largest steel producing country in the world. Japan imported 97 percent of iron minerals and 70 percent of coal in 1963, yet it overtook West Germany in steel production Japan produced 10.7 percent of the world's steel in 2005 and 20 percent of its total production from other countries. exported to. Japan also exports steel in substantial quantities for consumption in the world market, following its growing domestic consumption.
Japan's iron and steel industry is based entirely on imported ferrous minerals and steel scrap. Japan produces only 3 per cent of its requirement of iron mineral which is of inferior quality as compared to imported mineral. There are iron mines here in Hokkaido and northern Honshu, in which production is negligible. The largest mine of iron mineral production is the Kamashi mine of eastern Thoku. Here the iron content is 57 percent.
Japan imports 30 percent of the iron mineral from South America, with Chili and Piru being the major exporters. Apart from this, Japan imports iron minerals from India, Australia, South East Asia and North America. 75 percent of imported scrap comes from the United States. Coke coal for this industry is imported from USA, Australia, Russia and Canada. Japan produces most of its steel from imported steel scrap compared to ping iron, making it the second steel producer in the world.
Japan exports 22 percent of its steel. To maintain its reputation in the world market, Japan produces best quality steel. Between 1951 and 1961, a number of technical improvements were made here, as a result of which the amount of iron mineral was reduced to prepare one ton of cast iron. At the same time, energy use was also reduced by technological improvements and priority was given to scrap iron as a raw material. This resulted in reduction in cost.
Japan's steel industry not only manufactures rails and plates, but also produces high-grade special steel, which is used in the engineering and automobile industries, because the steel here is of excellent quality. Apart from this, steel is used in making heavy machines, ships and railway engines. Shin, Nippon Steel, Kawasaki, Sumitomo and Kobe are the major steel industries, producing 70 percent of Japan's steel. In 2005, Shin, Nippon, Sittsu and Kawasaki produced 61 percent of Japan's cast iron. Agreements were signed with Malaya, Brazil, Philippines, Pakistan, Rhodesia, India and Swaziland for raw materials. Apart from this, agreements have been signed with Australia and American countries for the supply of raw materials in future also, as a result of which the cost expenditure in the production of steel can be reduced. This is why today Japanese steel is on par with the United States and Britain. Japan has started exporting 22 percent of steel per year. Which is paramount in Japan's exports.
85 percent of Japan's steel is produced from the main mekhala (northern Kyushu Shikaku and southern Honshu) of its manufacturing industry. Yawata's current modern iron and steel industry in northern Kyushu is based on domestic raw materials. It is supplied with coal from Chikuho. And iron minerals and limestone are obtained from China. Before World War I, northern Kyushu alone produced about 50 percent of Japan's steel, but in 1992 this decreased to 20 percent. In addition, many steel producing centers are located near iron and coal mines or near ports. Several steel plants have been set up near Murosan, which produce more than 9 percent of Japan's steel. Here domestic raw materials are used. For this reason coal is obtained from the coalfield and iron mineral from northern Tohoku. Kamushi produces 3 percent of Japan's steel.
After the World War, iron-steel centers developed rapidly in the areas adjacent to the main industrial areas, because of the convenient port facilities, iron minerals, steel and coal are easily imported. The Hanshin region, which produces 32 percent of Japan's steel, extends from Sakai in the south to Kowe in the west. Here steel sheets and rail parts are made for ships, similar to heavy engineering. In addition, Keihin and Chukyo industrial centers account for 25 and 9 percent of steel production, respectively, including steel sheets, light engineering goods, vehicle parts, refrigerators (BA). And the parts of the washing machine are made. In 2005, the production of crude iron in Japan was 908 million tonnes and steel at 113 million tonnes, of which about half was consumed by the country and half was exported. It is noteworthy that after the Second World War, Japan's production has increased by so many times, which is a record. Japan has the highest per capita steel consumption of 63.6 kg.
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