Recently, Kobe Steel, Ltd. and Nippon Light Metal Holdings Co., Ltd. reached an important agreement to integrate their aluminum extrusion businesses. Under the plan, Nippon Light Metal Holdings is expected to hold a majority stake in the new company to be established after the integration, and the two parties will strive to complete the business integration by April 2027 or later. Faced with the prolonged downturn in the aluminum extrusion business, the two companies aim to improve operational efficiency and enhance market competitiveness through this resource integration and complementary strengths. Nippon Light Metal Holdings has consistently pursued a growth strategy centered on its business group structure, and this business integration will further optimize resource allocation, accelerate product development, and deliver higher-quality products and services to clients, thereby enhancing overall corporate value.

【SMM Steel】Japan's Ministry of Finance initiated an anti-dumping investigation on June 1, 2026, covering hot-rolled flat steel from China, South Korea, and Taiwan. The probe, requested by Nippon Steel, JFE Steel, Kobe Steel, and Nakayama Steel, examines dumping from April 2025 to March 2026 and injury over the 2021-26 period. Products include iron, non-alloy, and alloy hot-rolled flat steel (excluding clad, plated, or coated goods), used in autos, appliances, construction, containers, and steel pipes. HS codes: 7208, 7211, 7225, 7226 series.

Japan's Kobe Steel has announced plans to evaluate the installation of a new, large-scale scrap melting furnace at its flagship Kakogawa Works, aimed at accelerating its low-carbon transition. This project serves as a key initiative to meet its corporate climate target of reducing carbon emissions by 38% by 2030 (compared to 2013 levels). By combining this high-capacity scrap melting technology with existing blast furnace infrastructures, the mill expects to significantly increase its utilization rate of high-grade ferrous scrap, thereby reducing dependency on virgin hot metal and pig iron inputs.

Recently, Kawasaki Heavy Industries of Japan and Kobe Steel jointly announced that the world’s first next-generation hydrogen-fueled power generation system for hydrogen-based power generation had officially commenced operation. The system features a liquid hydrogen energy supply model and is designed to provide stable power for future large gas turbine generators, filling the global technological gap in direct liquid hydrogen supply for power generation. The newly commissioned system was developed under the NEDO-funded project in Japan, “Development of Technologies to Improve Hydrogen-Fueled Power Generation Efficiency and Performance Under the Hydrogen CGS Regional Model,” and was deployed at the Kobe Hydrogen Energy Center on Port Island in Kobe. It is the world’s first hydrogen supply power generation system to adopt an intermediate fluid vaporizer (IFV) for hydrogen together with a liquid hydrogen pump , enabling liquid hydrogen to be pressurized above critical pressure and directly supplying hydrogen fuel to power plants in a stable manner. The project had a clear division of responsibilities: Kawasaki Heavy Industries was responsible for optimizing the liquid hydrogen pressurization fuel supply system for gas turbine generators, while Kobe Steel focused on the R&D of IFV equipment utilizing the cold energy of liquid hydrogen. At present, demonstration tests have successfully delivered hydrogen fuel to a wet gas turbine, and subsequent hydrogen supply tests for a dry gas turbine will be carried out, with a focus on verifying operating performance under high summer temperature conditions as well as the long-term operational reliability of the liquid hydrogen pump.

【SMM Steel】Toyota began buying green steel from Nippon Steel, JFE, and Kobe Steel late last year. Green steel costs ~40% more than conventional, but govt subsidies help. Volumes undisclosed. Using EAFs instead of blast furnaces cuts CO₂ by ~75%. Toyota gets official certificates, joining Nissan and Isuzu. The move by the world's top automaker may push wider adoption of cleaner tech.