Japan's vehicle output down 10.9% in first half of 2013

Japanese vehicle output declined to 4,674,956 units, a 10.9-percent drop, in the first half of 2013, partially affected by the end of the government subsidy program for the purchase of eco-friendly cars last September, said a Japanese auto association Tuesday. Passenger car production dropped 12.3 percent from a year earlier to 3,973,330 units in the six-month period through June, said the industrial body, Japan's Automobile Manufacturers Association. Truck output also declined with a 3.6-percent drop to 634,598 units, while bus output was up 12.7 percent at 67,028 units. The country's vehicle exports fell 7.7 percent to 2,295,284 units in the first half of this year. Vehicle production plunged 9.5 percent to 808,557 units in June, the 10th straight monthly decrease, according to the association.