Japan's first-half vehicle output dives to 34-year low+

TOKYO, July 30 Kyodo -
Japan's domestic motor vehicle output in the January-June period dived 45.2
percent from a year earlier to a 34-year low of 3,321,651 units amid lingering
fallout from the global economic crisis, an industry body said Thursday.

The figure is comparable with 3,296,509 vehicles produced in Japan in the first
half of 1975, the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association said.
The latest figure represents the sharpest rate of decline for the first half of
a year and the first fall in eight years for the six-month period.
The data highlight the troubles of the Japanese auto industry in the wake of a
plunge in auto demand triggered by turbulence in global credit markets,
industry officials said.
The 34-year low particularly reflects a 58.7 percent dive in output of
passenger cars with engines of more than 2000 cc -- Japanese carmakers'
mainline products -- to 1,296,337 units, the association said.
Meanwhile, exports from Japan during the first half of the year plummeted 59.1
percent to 1,433,488 units, also the first fall in eight years for the
January-June period.
Exports to the U.S. market, the biggest destination for Japanese-made
automobiles, plunged 61.2 percent to 438,809 units.
In June alone, domestic motor vehicle production came to 683,958 units, down
34.0 percent and the ninth consecutive monthly decline.
But the association noted that the decline in output slowed in June for the
fourth straight month.
An association official said of the continued slowdown, ''We are seeing bright
signs that the market is moving toward a recovery.''
Exports in June fell 46.0 percent to 321,255 units, declining for the ninth
consecutive month.
==Kyodo
2009-07-30 22:20:44