The global production of eight major Japanese automakers plunged 60.9 percent to 916,255 vehicles in April from a year earlier, as plants were closed due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, data released by the companies showed Thursday.
Their output is likely to decline further except in China, where the economy is gradually recovering on the back of low new infection rates, as the ongoing global spread of the virus is expected to weigh on demand for automobiles in the coming months.
Toyota Motor Corp. said its global production tumbled 50.8 percent to 379,093 vehicles, while Honda Motor Co. saw a 48.0 percent decline in worldwide output to 212,747 units.