Truck maker Isuzu Motors Ltd. said Friday it plans to produce 480,000 trucks globally in 2004, down 6 percent from the previous year amid shrinking domestic demand.
Isuzu said it will boost its overseas production by 10 percent to 295,000 units.
Output in Thailand, where the firm has concentrated its global production of pickup trucks, is expected to increase by 17 percent to 191,000 units.
But the firm expects domestic output, including that for export, to fall 24 percent to 185,000 units.
This decline is primarily due to fading demand among truck users for new vehicles capable of clearing tough regulations on diesel exhaust gas emissions that took effect in October, the firm said.
By category, domestic production of large trucks is expected to fall 11 percent to 48,000, while that of small trucks is expected to fall 12 percent to 123,000 units.
Output of recreational vehicles -- to be exported mainly to the United States -- will decline by 73 percent to 14,000 units, according to the firm.