U.S.-China trade spat causing some slowdown in Japan steel demand - Japan steel lobby

TOKYO (Reuters) - The head of Japan's steel industry body said on Tuesday there were some signs of a slowdown in steel demand for use in machinery and IT equipment resulting from the escalating trade spat between the United States and China.

Yoshihisa Kitano, chairman of the Japan Iron and Steel Federation, also told a news conference he was keeping a close eye on China's steel exports amid signs of slowing demand in some industries there, also due to the trade dispute.

(Reporting by Yuka Obayashi; Editing by Chang-Ran Kim)