Toyota’s global vehicle output last year dipped 22.4% to 6,371,291 units. All other Japanese automakers posted falls ranging from 9% (Suzuki; 2,387,533) to Mitsubishi’s 39.5% plunge to 794,681 units.

Only Suzuki booked a 2009 rise in overseas output (5.3% to 1,479,231); falls varied from 1.5% (266,692) at Mazda to 19.9% (368,151) at Mitsubishi. Toyota production outside Japan was off 14.8% to 3,579,017 units.

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Toyota’s Japanese output fell 14.8% to 3,579,017 unit last year and exports dipped 44.1% to 1,444,720 cars.

Mitsubishi’s Japanese production more than halved – 50.1% to 426,530 and exports plunged 61.6% to 232,224.

Daihatsu booked the smallest fall in domestic output – 13.7% to 684,255 – and Subaru maker Fuji Heavy Industries’ exports were off the least – 22% to 254,549 compared to Daihatsu’s 64.1% plunge to 46,643.

Coming off a low, post credit crunch base a year before, December’s figures were brighter. Toyota boosted Japan output 18.2% to 288,578 though exports fell 10.5% to 157,011 and Nissan topped the charts, rise wise, with a 29.8% hike in domestic production to 87,867 units and a 63.3% hike in exports (57,019).

Nissan also booked a 69% rise in overseas output to 183,422 units and a global rise of 54% to 271,879 last month. Toyota was up 48% to 347,524 in December and its global volume rose 32.8% to 636,102 vehicles.

The only fall in that chart was Daihatsu’s 3.5% dip in global output to 66,728.

Counting in Daihatsu and truckmaker Hino, Toyota group global vehicle sales fell 13% last year to about 7.81m vehicles, reducing its lead over Volkswagen which enjoyed a record year.

Toyota had in 2008 ended General Motors’ 77-year reign as the top-selling automaker with sales of 8.97m, including Hino and Daihatsu.

But Volkswagen plans to overtake Toyota by 2018 as global number one. It booked 2009 sales of 6.29m vehicles, up 1.1% year on year.

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