Toyota's Exports to the Middle East Fall 91.7 Percent, Trade Pressured by Conflict

Photo; Illustration of one of Toyota's products, the Tundra pickup truck. (Kyodo News)TOYOTA

JAKARTA - Toyota's exports from Japan to the Middle East fell sharply in April. Regional conflicts have put pressure on trade to the region.

Quoted from Xinhua, Thursday, May 28, Toyota Motor Corp. reported exports to the Middle East were only 2,418 units in April. The figure was down 91.7 percent from the same period last year.

This decline in exports is much deeper than Toyota's sales in the region. Toyota sales in the Middle East fell 33.7 percent to 31,360 units.

Globally, Toyota's sales also weakened. In April, sales of the world's largest carmaker by volume fell 3.1 percent to 849,306 vehicles.

This is the third consecutive month of decline.

However, the production side is still positive. Toyota's global production rose 2 percent to 831,971 units. The figure is a record high for April.

Toyota's overseas sales fell 7.5 percent to 699,382 units. In the United States, sales weakened 4.6 percent to 222,378 vehicles.

On the other hand, the Japanese domestic market actually strengthened. Toyota's sales in Japan jumped 24.2 percent to 149,924 units.

The increase was supported by consumers who previously postponed purchases ahead of the elimination of the environmental performance tax at the end of March.

In terms of production, Toyota's output outside Japan grew 3.8 percent to 567,578 units. Domestic production fell slightly 1.7 percent to 264,393 units.

April data showed Toyota's heaviest pressure in the Middle East. At the same time, the Japanese market is still a support when global sales weaken.