Global production for the month decreased 14.1 percent on year to 114,536 units. Production in Japan was down 4 percent at 60,060 units while production of commercial vehicles, in particular the Minicab Van, continued to grow, up 16.4 percent on year.

Offshore production slipped 23 percent to 54,476 units on the back of slower production in the US and Europe. In contrast, production in China surged 67 percent on year. By region, Asia posted a 16.4 percent drop to 36,244, North America declined 27.7 percent to 12,422 units, and Europe was down 54.8 percent on year to 3,152 units, mainly attributable to the company ending production of the Carisma in December ahead of starting production of the new European Colt at its NedCar plant in the Netherlands.

Sales in Japan for the month were down for the first time in three months at 19,601 units, or -17.2 percent on year. MMC's share of the domestic market was 4.8 percent, down from 6.2 percent last January.

Total exports from Japan slipped 18.6 percent to 27,208 units. By region, exports to Asia rose 19.3 percent to 4,915 units, North America declined 77.6 percent to 2,915 units, and European exports jumped 99.6 percent to 9,631 units.

			January 2004		Fiscal Year 2003 ('03/4-'04/1)
			Volume	YoY Chg. (%)	Volume	YoY Chg. (%)
Domestic Production	Passenger Cars Commercial Vehicles		51,758 8,302	93.3 116.4	519,794 86,289	93.2 126.8
	Total		60,060	96.0	606,083	96.9
Domestic Sales *	Passenger Cars	Registrations Minicars	5,642 8,336	60.9 96.2	80,056 112,515	117.3 94.5
		Total	13,978	78.0	192,571	102.8
	Commercial Vehicles	Registrations Minicars	1,560 4,063	104.8 95.2	16,612 58,779	90.0 109.8
		Total	5,623	97.7	75,391	104.7
	Registrations Total		7,202	67.0	96,668	111.5
	Minicars Total		12,399	95.9	171,294	99.3
	Grand Total		19,601	82.8	267,962	103.4
Exports	Passenger Cars Commercial Vehicles		26,166 1,042	81.0 93.5	300,808 12,016	87.7 91.1
	Total		27,208	81.4	312,824	87.8
Production	Domestic Production Overseas Production		60,060 54,476	96.0 77.0	606,083 657,426	96.9 85.0
	Total Production		114,536	85.9	1,263,509	90.3

*	Includes imports
	N.B. Figures exclude truck and bus units as MMC's truck and bus operations were spun off into Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation in January 2003.