November 27, 1999 
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| November 27, 1999 | atimes.com | |
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| Japan Auto makers scale back domestic sales forecasts TOKYO - Toyota Motor Corp, Nissan Motor Co, and Japan's nine other auto makers expect to sell a total of 5.79 million vehicles in Japan this fiscal year, about 3 percent fewer than initial forecasts, due to the prolonged downturn in the market, according to the firms' business plans released this week. Aggregate domestic output is projected to hit 10.2 million units, a drop of just over 1 percent. Production is expected to narrowly clear 10 million units - regarded as the minimum level to maintain employment levels - but there remains the possibility that output could slip below that threshold. The auto makers' forecasts diverge widely by field. Backed by a large increase in sales in the fiscal first half, the six manufacturers of minicars all expect to beat their year-earlier sales totals for vehicles with engine displacements of 660cc or less. Top minicar manufacturer Suzuki Motor Corp is sticking with its earlier forecast, made in May, of moving 560,000 units, while Daihatsu Motor Co has raised its prior projections by 36,000 units and now aims to market more than 500,000 units for the first time. Truck manufacturers Hino Motors Ltd, Mitsubishi Motors Corp, Isuzu Motors Ltd, and Nissan Diesel Motor Co have all pared down their planned domestic output for fiscal 1999. Domestic sales of trucks with payloads of 4 tons or more are falling to their lowest level since 1965, and there are no hopes for a sharp rebound in exports to Southeast Asia. Aggregate domestic production by the four firms is now forecast to hit 443,000 units in fiscal 1999, or 69,000 units less than they had projected in May. Mitsubishi, Isuzu and Nissan Diesel had expected to top their year-earlier performances, but now see year-on-year declines. Nissan Diesel is scaling back output by shutting down manufacturing lines for a total of eight days in October and November. The truck makers had anticipated combined domestic sales of trucks with capacities of 4 tons or more at about 100,000 units, but they have lowered those targets. Nissan Diesel now expects to sell 75,000 vehicles. (Asia Pulse/Nikkei) | |||||||||
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