UPDATE 1-Japan home auto output lags overseas for 1st time http://today.reuters.com/stocks/QuoteCompanyNewsArticle.aspx?view=CN&storyID=2006-07-31T052743Z_01_T161112_RTRIDST_0_AUTOS-JAPAN-OUTPUT-UPDATE-1.XML&rpc=66
Mon Jul 31, 2006
(Updates throughout)
TOKYO, July 31 (Reuters) - Japanese auto makers built more vehicles abroad than at home for the first time in the 2005/06 business year, marking a widely expected milestone as top car brands boost capacity overseas to meet fast-growing demand.
Japan's 12 car and truck makers built 10,929,918 vehicles abroad in the year ended March 31, or 11 percent more than the year before, the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association said on Monday. Asia and North America accounted for three-quarters of the total.
The figure outpaced the 10,893,529 vehicles they manufactured in Japan last year.
Domestic auto production has been supported by healthy exports, making up for stagnant car demand in Japan. But top car makers such as Toyota Motor Corp. (7203.T: Quote, NEWS, Research), Nissan Motor Co. (7201.T: Quote, NEWS, Research) and Honda Motor Co. (7267.T: Quote, NEWS, Research) have been expanding at a faster clip abroad as they seek to build more vehicles in or close to markets where they are sold.
During the last business year, Toyota alone set up two new assembly plants, in the Czech Republic and China, while expanding capacity at its UK plant. That trend is set to continue, with new factories kicking off in China and Texas this year, followed by others in Thailand, Russia and Canada in the next two years.
The auto industry group announced separately on Monday that Japaneseautomobile production rose 7.2 percent in June from a year earlier to 1,019,502 vehicles. For the calendar year to date, production was up 4.1 percent at 5,708,141 units.
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