NAGOYA: Toyota Motor Corp. said Tuesday that its vehicle production in Japan will return to almost normal levels in August following months of reduction due to the coronavirus pandemic.

In August, the Japanese automaker will cut domestic production by some 3 pct from its initial plan, or 6,000 units, about one-20th of the peak of the reduction in June.

The recovery in production reflects growth in demand mainly for SUVs. Toyota’s production cutback started in April.

For July, Toyota’s plan calls for idling six production lines at three plants in Japan for two to six days. In August, it plans to operate all domestic plants.

A plant in Miyawaka in the southwestern prefecture of Fukuoka that briefly suspended production due to recent heavy rains and a plant in Oyamazaki in the western prefecture of Kyoto run by subsidiary Daihatsu Motor Co. will operate on one to three Saturdays.

All night shifts except for one production line at Gifu Auto Body Co.’s plant in Kakamigahara in the central prefecture of Gifu will resume in August.

JIJI Press