Vehicle output in Japan fell 5.5% in February from a year earlier to 795,632 units. It was the fifth consecutive monthly fall since Tokyo ended subsidies for buyers of environmentally-friendly cars.
But Japan’s Automobile Manufacturers Association noted that exports in February rose 13.2% to 431,582 units, marking the 14th consecutive month of growth. The export growth was attributed primarily to a sharp increase of 73.7% in exports to Europe. Those to Asia rose 14.1% and those to North America increased 4.3%.
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JAMA warned that the 11 March earthquake and tsunami would seriously affect future auto production in Japan.
”Almost all (auto) plants have suspended production,” a JAMA official said. ”We are uncertain to what extent production would plunge and for how long.”
Of February’s vehicle output, passenger cars decreased 6.4% to 685,655 units and trucks declined 0.5% to 99,507 units. Bus output expanded 12.8% to 10,470 units.
