Japanese Auto Makers Build More Vehicles Abroad For First Time

Japanese auto makers built more vehicles abroad than domestically for the first time in the 2005/06 business year, according to a report released Monday.

Japanese car and truck makers produced 10,929,918 vehicles abroad in the year ended March 31. This is 11% more than the previous year. The report released by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association also noted that production in June rose 7.2% during the same time period in the prior year.

Domestic sales in June 2006 stood at 509,924 vehicles, down 1.5% as compared with the same month of the previous year.

The production total for the first half of 2006 was up 4.1%, as compared with the same time period of the previous year. Domestic sales total for the period from January through June 2006 were 3,071,000 units, down 1.0% as compared with the same period of the previous year.