Output of crude steel in July fell 1.2 pct from a year earlier to 9.43 mln tons, the first decline in five months, the Japan Iron and Steel Federation said. Month-on-month, output dropped 0.2 pct Crude steel production at blast furnace operators rose 0.7 pct from the previous year to 7.19 mln tons in July, the fifth consecutive monthly rise, while output at electric furnace operators dropped 7.1 pct to 2.24 mln tons, marking the sixth straight month of decline From January to July, crude steel production reached 66.16 mln tons, up 1.2 pct over the corresponding period in the previous year