Nippon Steel: Not talking with Mittal on expansion

TOKYO, Aug 24 (Reuters) Nippon Steel Corp, the world's third-biggest steel maker, said on Thursday it was not talking with Mittal Steel on expanding production capacity of their U.S. auto-use sheet steel joint venture.

''It is true that Nippon Steel is discussing a plan to boost production capacity at our U.S. plant, but no details have been decided,'' the company said in a statement.

The Nihon Keizai Shimbun business daily reported on Thursday that Nippon Steel and Mittal would invest a combined 30 billion yen (0 million) to double the capacity of their auto-use steel sheet plant in the United States by 2008.

REUTERS VJ BST0722