News Asean

Toyota to build new plant in Malaysia

Toyota at one time froze new plant construction after it fell into the red due to the financial crisis triggered by the collapse of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. in 2008. But it has since restarted boosting overseas production. The investment to this project is estimated at tens of billions of yen.

Toyota also plans to build new plants in Guangzhou, China, in 2017 and in Mexico in 2019. The Mexican plant will serve North American markets.

In Malaysia, the auto giant currently manufactures the subcompact sedan Vios and pickup trucks, totaling about 70,000 units in the year ended March. Daihatsu Motor Co, a Toyota subsidiary, considers Malaysia one of its main markets.

Toyota's sales in Asia outside Japan have been declining in recent years but are expected to rebound in the current business year.