Toyota Motor Corp. and Nissan Motor Co., the nation's largest and third-largest automakers, led gains in domestic vehicle output last month as rising gasoline prices spurred exports of fuel-efficient models to North America, an industry body said Friday.
The country's 12 automakers boosted their combined output 5.4 percent to 917,951 vehicles in April, the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association said. Exports climbed 21 percent to 584,059.
The price of gasoline has jumped 30 percent in the U.S. so far this year, prompting demand for small cars. Toyota and Nissan increased sales in the world's largest car market last month, winning customers from General Motors Corp. and Ford Motor Co. Japan's vehicle exports to the U.S. jumped 21 percent.