Japan’s major carmakers’ combined domestic output in fiscal 2012 rose 2.9% over the previous year to 9,055,373 units, passing 9m for the first time in four years.
Domestic production was helped by government subsidies for eco-friendly vehicle purchases in the first half of the year. However in March, domestic output fell 16.8% – down for the seventh month in a row – following the end of the subsidies last September.
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Toyota increased domestic output 8% to 3,368,940 units thanks to strong exports to the US as well as brisk domestic sales. Production also increased 24.6% at Fuji Heavy Industries [Subaru], 9.8% at Daihatsu, 3.8% at Mazda, 2.3% at Suzuki and 0.6% at Honda.
However Mitsubishi and Nissan experienced falls in production of 17% and 11.6% respectively. The eight carmakers saw overseas production in the year gain 15.1% as the yen’s appreciation encouraged them to increase overseas output.
Honda’s overseas production surged 40.5% to an all-time high of 3,180,102 units while Toyota produced a record 5,195,579 units overseas, up 17.8% from the previous year. Nissan rose 2.6% to a record 3,729,129.
