Japan posts steep decline in November vehicle production

Japan’s domestic vehicle production dived 20.4% in November from a year earlier to 854,171 units, posting the steepest fall since comparable data became available in 1967, the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association said. Domestic vehicle output in all of 2008 is now expected to drop from the previous year for the first time in seven years as vehicle demand has quickly slackened in emerging countries as well as industrial nations. Output for the first 11 months of the year rose 2.0% to 10.83 million units due to brisk production in the first half. (December 25, 2008)