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    March 3, 2026

    SMA, AISI talk significance of US passing Japan in steel output

    Written by Ethan Bernard

    The US surpassed Japan in annual steel production in 2025 for the first time in 26 years, according to the World Steel Association (worldsteel). The heads of two steel trade groups spoke of the significance of the event, which brought the US to the number three slot after China and India.

    The US produced 82 million metric tons (mt) of steel in 2025, up 3.1% year over year, worldsteel said. Japan, meanwhile, produced 80.7 million mt of steel during the same period, a 4% decline. The last time the US was ahead of Japan occurred in 1999.

    Ethan Bernard

    Ethan Bernard is managing editor for Steel Market Update. He previously worked for American Metal Market as a copy editor in the New York office for two years, starting in 2008. Later, he copy edited AMM’s monthly magazine on a freelance basis from 2015 until 2017. With experience in financial copywriting and textbook publishing, he holds a BA in Comparative Literature from UC Berkeley, and an MFA in Creative Writing from New York University. He can be reached at ethan@steelmarketupdate.com or 724-759-7871.

    Read more from Ethan Bernard

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