Quakes, scandal hit automakers
Automakers had a tough month in April, data showed Monday, as earthquakes in Kyushu disrupted output and a scandal involving fuel efficiency figures had knock-on effects.
At Toyota Motor Corp., domestic output dropped 18.8 percent in April from a year earlier to 200,675 vehicles, as the nation's top automaker temporarily halted assembly lines when supplies were disrupted in mid-April by quakes in Kumamoto Prefecture.
However, Toyota's domestic sales rose 9.9 percent to 114,744 vehicles.
Nissan Motor Co. reported its overall domestic sales plunged 22.3 percent to 25,617 vehicles, as its minivehicle sales plummeted 51.2 percent to 5,574.
Nissan's domestic output decreased 5.1 percent to 60,086 vehicles.
Nissan has agreed to buy a controlling stake in Mitsubishi Motors Corp., whose market value plummeted following revelations that it exaggerated fuel efficiency data on some minicar models, including units supplied to Nissan.
Mitsubishi Motors reported a 14.9 percent fall in sales to 3,587 vehicles, while its output dropped 16.7 percent to 38,713 units, the first year-on-year decrease in seven months.
Mitsubishi Motors has suspended production at its minicar manufacturing plant in Okayama Prefecture since the fuel economy scandal erupted in late April.
Production at Honda Motor Co. edged down 0.7 percent to 51,581 vehicles, although its sales in Japan expanded 8.8 percent to 45,317.