Domestic production increased year on year in 2010 for seven of Japan’s top eight automakers, with all seeing double-digit growth, given robust exports, especially to China, and increased domestic sales amid government incentives for the purchase of greener cars, according to reports on Thursday.
Only Toyota subsidiary Daihatsu booked a decline in domestic output, with a 2.8% drop, as its overseas production increased 30.4%, Kyodo News said.
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Toyota, which remained the world’s largest automaker by group sales in 2010 for the third consecutive year, said it produced 3.28m vehicles in Japan, up 17.6% year on year.
Toyota enjoyed record domestic sales and its first increase in exports in three years.
Overseas production also rose, by 21.3% to a record 4.34m units, marking the first growth in three years, with Chinese output surging nearly 30%.
Nissan Motor domestic output climbed 26.7% to 1.13m units and Honda Motor production rose by 18% to 992,502 units, marking the first growth in four years.
Suzuki, Mazda, Mitsubishi and Fuji Heavy [Subaru] also saw increases in domestic production, with Mitsubishi up 54.8%, the sharpest growth among the eight automakers.
Record-high global outputs were marked by Nissan, Suzuki and Fuji Heavy, as Nissan boosted output in China and Suzuki did so in India to better respond to growing demand there. Fuji also increased its overseas output given robust sales in the United States and China.
All of the eight automakers saw increases in their global output in 2010.
All but Daihatsu recorded double-digit growth in their exports, with the Toyota unit marking a drop of 14.1% for the third consecutive year of decline on decreased shipments to Europe.
Toyota’s exports rose for the first time in three years on increased shipments to all regions. Honda and Mazda recorded strong exports to North America, while Mitsubishi marked a sharp recovery in its shipments to Europe and Russia.
Domestic sales rose at all of the eight automakers but the paces of their growth were slower than those of exports, except for Daihatsu.
In December alone, only three companies – Nissan, Mazda and Mitsubishi – raised their domestic output, while all but Mitsubishi increased their overseas production, Kyodo said.
