Toyota Motor said on Friday its global sales rose 6.9% year-on-year in May to 898,721 vehicles, setting a record for the month as demand remained strong in key markets including the United States, China, and Japan.
Sales in the U.S. increased by nearly 11% despite ongoing trade tensions and new tariffs.
This marked the fifth consecutive monthly increase in global sales for Toyota, which includes sales of its luxury brand Lexus. The company said strong performance in North America helped offset pressure from U.S. trade measures.
Global production in May, however, declined by 0.7% from a year earlier, the first drop in five months. Toyota attributed the fall to fewer operating days at its Japanese plants.
The gains in sales came as Japan’s auto sector faces growing challenges from trade policies. Tokyo is seeking an exemption from a 25% tariff the U.S. has imposed on imported automobiles, which has hurt Japan’s car exports.
Japanese government data released last week showed exports to the U.S. fell in May. Automobile shipments dropped 24.7% and auto parts fell 19%, marking the first overall decline in exports from Japan in eight months.
Japan is also trying to prevent the implementation of a planned 24% “reciprocal” tariff scheduled to take effect on July 9 unless a deal is reached with Washington.
