Japan

Export Volume by Region

Toyota began full-fledged efforts to penetrate overseas markets in the 1950s, from which time it steadily expanded its list of export destinations to include countries in Southeast Asia, Latin America, and finally the Middle East.

In the 1960s, it officially resumed export of passenger cars to the U.S., an endeavor it previously had given up. It also established a number of distributors and local assembly companies in Europe.

By the 1970s, exports to the U.S. had increased dramatically, quickly turning North America into Toyota's largest export destination. Stronger policies promoting domestic production were also instituted in many countries around this time, including Indonesia, Thailand, Australia, and South Africa, and alongside an increase in the number of models that could be exported as CKD kits, this steadily increased CKD exports.

In the 1980s and 1990s, trade friction exacerbated by a sudden rise in exports led Toyota to accelerate plant construction and enhance production capacity in the U.S. and Europe. This, combined with a sharp appreciation of the yen, caused exports to weaken. Still, in 1986-87, the North American and European markets together accounted for nearly 80% of all exports.

In the 2000s, demand in foreign markets, particularly North America, grew faster than increases in overseas production, which had the effect of boosting exports to the continent and other markets.

Since 2009, automobile demand has tended to decline in Western countries as a result of the financial crisis triggered by the collapse of Lehman Brothers in autumn 2008, while automobile markets have expanded in emerging countries such as China and in resource-rich countries of the Middle East.

1936-1965

Unit=one vehicle

Year
North America
Latin America
Europe
Africa
Asia & Oceania
Middle East
Other
Total
1936
-
-
-
-
4
-
-
4
1937
-
-
-
-
883
-
-
883
1938
-
-
-
-
278
-
-
278
1939
-
-
-
-
809
-
-
809
1940
-
-
-
-
1,643
-
-
1,643
1941
-
-
-
-
938
-
-
938
1942
-
-
-
-
545
-
-
545
1943
-
-
-
-
741
-
-
741
1944
-
-
-
-
123
-
-
123
1945
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
0
1946
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
0
1947
-
-
-
-
1
1
-
2
1948
-
-
-
-
-
-
4
4
1949
-
-
-
-
179
-
11
190
1950
-
3
-
-
478
2
9
492
1951
-
0
-
-
207
-
6
213
1952
-
100
-
-
206
1
-
307
1953
-
2
-
-
277
-
-
279
1954
-
124
-
-
237
-
2
363
1955
-
57
1
-
193
30
-
281
1956
6
231
6
-
424
202
-
869
1957
53
1,812
-
12
2,010
230
-
4,117
1958
887
2,166
19
66
1,935
449
1
5,523
1959
1,597
1,850
1
168
1,847
671
-
6,134
1960
534
2,102
13
87
2,898
467
296
6,397
1961
444
5,207
63
276
5,095
584
6
11,675
1962
1,110
2,342
102
989
5,954
704
6
11,207
1963
1,171
2,359
557
4,238
14,665
1,375
14
24,379
1964
3,842
3,836
2,290
7,608
23,617
1,591
1
42,785
1965
13,224
4,983
5,916
7,464
28,697
3,188
2
63,474
Note 1:
Regional categories are as defined by Toyota
Note 2:
Excludes military demand; 'Other' includes exports to PX and so on

Back to Top