Japan output to start normalising in July, overseas in August
Expects full recovery in November or December globally
Lost output of 400,000 units in Japan, 100,000 overseas as of end-April.
"According to what we're hearing directly from companies, it looks like the recovery on the ground is faster than people think, and Toyota may well restart production even faster than they stated in this announcement," said Tetsuro Ii, chief executive officer of Commons Asset Management.
RETHINKING PARTS PROCUREMENT
Japanese automakers have slashed production due to the shortage mostly of electronic and resin-based parts due to the magnitude-9.0 earthquake and the resulting tsunami and damage to a major nuclear plant that has disrupted power supply.
President Toyoda said Toyota did not yet know which car models would be built at what levels during the normalizing production towards the end of the year. But he said that giving even a rough sense of timing would be a help to dealers, and finally to the customers.
The disruption of parts supply in Japan has also affected car makers overseas such as General Motors Co and Ford Motor Co.
For its part, Toyota's manufacturing chief, Executive Vice President Atsushi Niimi, said the automaker remained committed to building at least 3.0-3.2 million vehicles a year in Japan in an effort to keep the tradition of "monozukuri", or manufacturing, strong in the country.
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