Toyota to boost No. of dealer stores in China to 650 by year-end+

BEIJING, Sept. 29 Kyodo -
Toyota Motor Corp. plans to increase its dealer shops in China to around 650
stores by year-end, from over 550 in early August, as it seeks to tap into a
vibrant auto market that is likely to become the world's biggest, topping the
U.S. market this year, company officials said Tuesday.

Rival Honda Motor Co. also plans to increase stores in China to 760 this year,
up 83 stores from the end of March, while Nissan Motor Co. expects to have 408
stores, up 52 stores from the end of last year, officials of both companies
said separately.
Other carmakers in the United States, Europe and South Korea have also been
increasing their dealer networks in China where they can expect a rare growth
in sales, bucking an ongoing slump in auto demand in other parts of the world.
Toyota plans to increase the number of Toyota brand stores from 506 to 589
centering in the inland area while it eyes expanding luxury Lexus brand stores
from 50 to 60.
The automaker reported flat sales in China for the January to June period
compared with a year earlier, but its sales jumped 43 percent in August to
66,600 units, officials said. For the January to August period, sales rose 9
percent to 415,000 units.
In addition to recovery in sales of Toyota's Corolla compact car, demand for
the bigger-sized Highlander sport utility vehicle, known as the Cruger in
Japan, also contributed to the rise in August sales.
==Kyodo