Japan's Vehicle Output up 2.7%

TOKYO January 31, 2006; Japan Today reported that production of passenger cars, trucks and buses in Japan increased 2.7% in 2005 from the previous year to 10,799,659 vehicles, up for the fourth straight year, on rising exports, an industry body said Monday.

Domestic vehicle sales remained almost unchanged from 2004, but exports grew 1.9% to 5,053,061 units, the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association said, adding it was the first time since 1993 that the number of exports has topped 5 million. Exports to North America grew 7.4% to 1,854,438 million units.