Japan’s five major car makers increased overseas production in November from a year earlier as four of them saw a fall in domestic sales, according to figures released on Thursday, Kyodo News reported.

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Toyota, which is expected to overtake General Motors as the world’s largest carmaker next year in terms of production numbers on a group basis, recorded a 15.0% rise in overseas output to 317,044 units.


The figure represents the 47th consecutive month of increase for Japan’s largest car maker and a record high for the month of November, the report noted.


Toyota said its overall overseas production rose due mainly to increased production in Asia as well as Central and South America.


Nissan Motor, meanwhile, marked a 12.8% increase in overseas production to 183,263 units. Its production in China more than tripled, offsetting decreases in the United States and part of Europe.

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Mazda saw a 2.0% overseas output expansion to 28,734 units for its first increase in three months, while Honda’s overseas production rose 8.2% to 187,154 units for the fourth consecutive month of expansion thanks mainly to increased output in North America and Asia.


Mitsubishi Motors also increased its overseas production 0.4% to 59,474 units. It saw output fall in Europe after ceasing production of some of its models there, but an increase in China helped to boost output in Asia.


Four of the five carmakers, with Nissan as the exception, also reinforced production in Japan, Kyodo News said.


But only Mitsubishi posted an increase in sales in Japan with a 19.7% rise to 21,110 units, largely helped by the favourable performance of the new Outlander sport utility vehicle, launched in October, which sold 3,226 units last month, well above the struggling car maker’s monthly sales target of 2,000 units.