Japanese car makers now make more vehicles overseas than they do at home, according to figures from an industry body.
The Japanese Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) said the number of vehicles made abroad by Japanese car makers grew 10.6% in 2005 over the previous year to 10,929,918 units. 10,890,000 vehicles were made in Japan.
Of Japan’s markets, only the Middle East – where there are CKD assembly operations, primarlily in Egypt – saw a decline in production, by 0.4% to 10,880 vehicles.
In Asia, Japanese car makers saw production rise 15.2% to 4,174,624 vehicles; Europe grew 9.5% to 1,603,506 units; North America rose 5% to 4,092,193 vehicles; Central and South America was up 18.6% to 676,146 units while Africa jumped 20.8% to 237,949 vehicles.
JAMA also said that first half 2006 exports had increased 16.2% to 2,855,284 vehicles on the back of a 4.1% rise in domestic production to 5,708,141 vehicles.
Of those figures, passenger car output grew 6.6% to 4,862,726 vehicles, with exports of passenger cars rising 21.8% 2,546,906 vehicles.
It is the fifth consecutive year that both domestic production and exports have risen in the first half.
Go deeper with GlobalData
