JFE to build electric arc furnace in west Japan

Slowing growth: A steel plant stands in the Ibaraki Prefecture in Japan. JFE Steel, like many others, has been trimming capacity as it confronts a period of waning demand as Japan’s population declines. — Bloomberg

TOKYO: JFE Steel, Japan’s No 2 steelmaker, is considering building a new electric arc furnace (EAF) to replace the No 2 blast furnace at its Kurashiki plant in western Japan to reduce its carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, a company spokesperson says.

The move comes as steelmakers around the world are under pressure to cut CO2 emissions to tackle climate change.