TOKYO: Japan’s top three automakers suffered year-on-year declines in global output in August owing to the continued adverse effects of the coronavirus pandemic, although recovering production in China helped trim losses, figures released Tuesday from the makers showed.
According to Toyota Motor Corp., Japan’s largest automaker, production declined 6.7 percent on year in August to 634,217 vehicles, marking the eighth successive month of decline. The decline, however, compares to a more than 10 percent tumble logged in July, with the latest figure reflecting a significant recovery in the automaker’s Chinese market, among others, Toyota said.
The Aichi-based automaker also said that its output in Japan in the recording period dropped 11.5 percent to total 202,691 vehicles.
Similarly, the relatively modest decline in Honda Motor Co.’s output has been helped by recovering production in China, which hit a record high for the month of August.
Honda’s output fell 6.4 percent to 389,481 vehicles, the automaker said. Nissan Motor Co., however, in the wake of the scandal involving its former chairman Carlos Ghosn coupled with the impact of the pandemic, saw production slump 25.1 percent in the recording period to 304,739 units.
Toyota’s global sales fell for an eight straight month, dropping 10.6 percent in August to 720,765 vehicles, with robust demand in China being pared by sales remaining hampered in both the domestic and North American market, it said. Nissan’s global sales, meanwhile, tumbled 23.3 percent to 327,297 vehicles, the automaker said, owing to sluggish demand in its North American markets.–Agencies
