Tokyo: Japan’s Toyota Motor Corp. said Wednesday that its global vehicle output in January-November already surpassed the company’s annual record high set in 2019.

Its production in the 11-month period rose 10.8 percent from a year before to 9,231,068 units, topping 9,053,517 units logged for the whole of 2019.

Toyota’s output grew in Japan and North America thanks to a recovery in demand following an easing of supply shortages for semiconductors.

Its domestic output climbed 27.3 percent to 3,099,950 units, exceeding the three-million-unit threshold the automaker considers necessary to maintain employment and achieve other targets. Overseas production grew 4.0 percent to 6,131,118 units.

In November alone, Toyota’s global output marked a monthly record high.

Combined domestic output by eight major Japanese automakers, including Toyota, in November increased 12.8 percent from a year before to some 810,000 units, up for the 11th consecutive month. Their combined global production rose 13.0 percent to 2.38 million units.

Of the eight, only Daihatsu Motor Co. posted a domestic output decline.

Overseas production expanded at Toyota and Nissan Motor Co. for the first time in seven months, while Honda Motor Co. logged its first growth in six months. The results followed last year’s production slump in China due to a resurgence of the novel coronavirus.

The eight companies’ combined global sales in November expanded 12.7 percent to 2.13 million units owing to robust production.

JIJI Press