Crude steel production in Japan fell 4.9% year-on-year in October, the fourth consecutive month of decline, as some plants remained closed after typhoons and fires, the Japan iron and Steel Federation said Thursday.

Japan's crude steel output, which was not seasonally adjusted, fell to 8.16 million tons in October, but increased by 1.5% from September.

Nippon Steel, Japan's largest steelmaker, said last month that a steel plant near Tokyo would remain closed until the end of December to repair chimneys damaged by a typhoon in September.

Another plant in Hiroshima was also suspended due to a fire in the operating room at the end of August.

Earlier this month, Japanese steelmakers cut their annual profit forecasts as falling steel prices in Asia weighed on export profits, slowing demand for overseas cars and falling domestic machine consumption forced them to cut output.

The slowdown in global economic growth and rising prices of raw materials such as iron ore caused by the Sino US trade dispute also hit steel production.