Toyota to Scale Down Production Cuts in July

Nagoya, June 22 (Jiji Press)--Toyota Motor Corp. <7203> said Monday that the company will continue automobile production cuts in July amid the novel coronavirus outbreak but that the pace of reduction will be slower than in June thanks to a recovery in demand mainly for SUVs. The leading Japanese automaker will cut production by 39,000 units next month, less than one third of the curtailment in June. All 15 domestic finished vehicle plants of the Toyota group will be suspended simultaneously for several days this month. But there will be no such days in July. In July, operations will be halted for two to six days at six production lines in total at Toyota Motor East Japan Inc.'s Higashifuji plant in the city of Susono in the central prefecture of Shizuoka, Gifu Auto Body Co.'s plant in the city of Kakamigahara in Gifu Prefecture, central Japan, and Hino Motors Ltd.'s <7205> Hamura plant in Tokyo. Meanwhile, facilities making SUV models, including the RAV4, will operate on weekends in July. Specifically, four lines in total at Toyota's Takaoka and Tahara plants in Aichi Prefecture, central Japan, and a Toyota Industries Corp. <6201> plant will be online for two to four Saturdays. END