Mitsubishi Motors to cut domestic production by up to 100,000 units+

TOKYO, Oct. 25 Kyodo -
Mitsubishi Motors Corp. will cut production at factories in Japan by up to
100,000 units in five months from November in response to sluggish sales at
home and abroad, company officials said Saturday.
The production cut will be implemented at the company's factory in Okazaki,
Aichi Prefecture, and at its production subsidiary Pajero Manufacturing Co. in
Gifu Prefecture, the officials said.
The Outlander sport utility vehicle at the Okazaki factory and the Pajero SUV
at the Gifu subsidiary will be subject to the planned output cut, they said.
The Okazaki factory and the Gifu subsidiary will reduce the number of vehicles
produced per hour and maintain their workforce, the officials said.
Mitsubishi Motors currently is not planning a production cut at its plant in
Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture.
The company has not disclosed annual production plans of each factory.
Mitsubishi Motors is expected to revise its global sales projection downward
from the current 1,309,000 units in the business year ending in March 2009.
Automakers are expected to accelerate production cuts, facing the tough
business environment amid high gasoline prices and the financial crisis raging
around the globe.
Among Japanese makers, Nissan Motor Co. has been cutting production of the
Infinity luxury car for the U.S. market at its plant in Tochigi Prefecture
since September. It will also reduce output of the Murano SUV at its plant in
Fukuoka Prefecture from November.
==Kyodo
2008-10-25 21:38:11