Advances in Steel Materials and Steel Structures in Japan

Over the course of 150 years since the construction of Japan's first cast iron bridge in 1868, Japan has become one of the most advanced countries in terms of steel structures. This advance is attributed largely to the contributions made by high performance steels. In Japan, steel material innovations have enabled progress in steel structures to leap forward, and in turn, challenging new structures has given birth to further advancements in steel materials. In this paper, the developments in steel structures and materials are reviewed and discussed. One conclusion drawn from this review and discussion is that steel still has the potential as a new emerging material to make further contributions to the advancement of steel structures.