Japan Auto Production Falls
May 26, 1999
By The Associated Press
TOKYO (AP) -- Hit by slumping domestic sales and
weak demand abroad, Japan's automobile production
fell 6.5 percent in April from a year earlier, an
industry association said Wednesday.
Production of cars, trucks and buses totaled 711,787
vehicles last month, compared with 761,402
produced in April of last year, the Japan Automobile
Manufacturers Association said in its monthly
report.
The association estimated that Japan's vehicle
exports dropped 11 percent in April from a year
earlier.
The production decline in April followed a 3.8
percent rise in March after output declined four
straight months because of sluggish sales due to a
recession at home and weak demand in Asian
countries.
Output at Toyota Motor Corp., Japan's largest
automaker, was down 8.3 percent in April to
234,612 vehicles, the association said. Production at
Nissan Motor Co. fell 8.3 percent to 86,580.
Among other major automakers, Honda Motor Co.
production dropped 7.5 percent to 88,478 vehicles,
while Mazda Motor Corp.'s fell 9.8 percent to
53,635.
Output at Mitsubishi Motors Corp. slipped 1.0
percent to 60,527 vehicles. Production at Suzuki
Motor Corp. rose 2.7 percent to 79,411, while Isuzu
Motors Ltd. output dropped 12.7 percent to 11,524. |
