Toyota to normalize production by November

Toyota Motor Corp. said its output, which has halved since last month’s magnitude 9.0 earthquake, is expected to normalize around November or December. Normalization of its Japanese production is expected to start in July. Outside Japan, production is expected to normalize in August. Earlier, Toyota resumed output of models, including its mainstay Prius gasoline-electric hybrid at three of its 17 domestic plants, where car assembly was suspended on March 14. But it will still have to drastically reduce auto production in North America, China and Thailand due to parts supply disruptions. (April 22, 2011)