Nippon Steel Setouchi Works Kure Area, 広島県呉市にある製鉄所
Nippon Steel Setouchi Works Kure Area is an ironworks in the western city of Kure that has produced steel since the 1950s. The facility contains large blast furnaces and converters that transformed raw iron into steel products used for shipbuilding and infrastructure across Japan.
The facility was founded in the early 1950s and expanded quickly to supply steel during Japan's post-war recovery. The blast furnaces were eventually phased out in 2021, with all operations permanently shut down by September 2023, marking the end of over 70 years of steelmaking activity.
The site is located in the port city of Kure on the western coast and is accessible by public transport or car. Visitors should be aware that most facilities are shut down, and large areas may be closed off or have restricted access due to the site's inactive status.
The facility imported raw iron ore from Australia, Brazil, and India by ship through the nearby coast, showing its role in global steel supply chains. This allowed the plant to produce large quantities of steel for various industries across Japan during its active decades.
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