The largest Japanese companies Nippon Steel, JFE and Kobe Steel recorded a loss

The Japan Times reported that all three major Japanese steelmakers fell in negative territory in April-June as the coronavirus crisis forced automakers and other customers to suspend production, resulting in lower demand. Domestic leader Nippon Steel Corp reported a group net loss of 42 billion yen on sales of 1.1 trillion yen, down 25.7% in the first quarter, with crude steel production falling below levels during the 2008 global financial crisis. ... Nippon Steel plans to post a loss of 200 billion yen for April-September, but did not provide an annual estimate.

JFE Holdings Inc reported the group's net loss of ¥ 39.1 billion on sales of ¥ 743.9 billion, down 19.8% from the prior year in the first quarter of fiscal 2020. For the full year to March 2021, the JFE expects to show a net loss. 100 billion yen will be his second biggest loss in a row.

Meanwhile, Kobe Steel Ltd posted a net loss of 13.1 billion yen on sales of 374.1 billion yen, down 19.4%.