Three of Japan's five major automakers posted record overseas production for any first half of a calendar year during the January-June period due to strong demand overseas, according to statistics they released Thursday.

The three were Toyota Motor Corp., Nissan Motor Co. and Honda Motor Co.

Toyota said its first-half overseas output shot up 14.6 percent over a year earlier to 1,740,764 units. Nissan's overseas output soared 19.8 percent to 1,035,443 units. Honda's came to 1,078,009 units, up 12.9 percent.

The remaining two -- Mazda Motor Corp. and Mitsubishi Motors Corp. -- said their overseas output fell 10.0 percent each in the six-month period.

On the export front, Toyota saw its exports hit a record for any first half, at 1,017,504 units, up 7.4 percent.

Toyota officials attributed the record exports to brisk sales of the Prius hybrid car and Lexus-brand luxury vehicles in overseas markets.

Honda's exports in the six-month period came to 280,584 units, up 13.0 percent. Nissan reported its first-half exports slumped 5.1 percent to 341,218 units.

Mazda's exports dropped 1.4 percent to 276,177 units, while those of MMC, which is seeking to revive consumer confidence in the wake of a slew of defects coverups and recalls, fell 8.1 percent to 157,934 units.

As for domestic production in the period, Toyota boosted output 5.5 percent to 1,952,237 units, Nissan 7.3 percent to 798,302 units, Honda 7.9 percent to 652,824 units, while Mazda jacked up output 1.6 percent to 410,611.

But Mitsubishi Motors saw its output drop 13.1 percent to 305,638.

Exports increased for all automakers except Nissan. Domestic sales rose at all automakers.