TOKYO — Toyota bought 5 p.c extra automobiles within the first half in contrast with the identical interval a yr earlier, helped by an easing of semiconductor provide constraints and stronger demand in Japan.

The corporate bought about 4.9 million automobiles globally within the six months via June, together with its luxurious Lexus model, in contrast with about 4.7 million automobiles throughout the identical interval in 2022.

Toyota’s gross sales in Japan jumped 33 p.c to 878,215 models within the interval versus a yr earlier, whereas U.S. gross sales slipped 0.7 p.c to simply over 1 million automobiles and people in Asia declined half a p.c to about 1.5 million models.

Within the month of June, international gross sales rose 10 p.c to 898,947 models, benefiting from rising demand, together with for electrified automobiles resembling hybrids, in key markets such because the U.S. and Europe, the corporate mentioned in a press release.

China gross sales in June posted their first month-to-month decline in three months, falling 13 p.c to 174,548 automobiles. China gross sales have been down 2.8 p.c for January-June.

International gross sales of hybrid electrical automobiles grew 38 p.c year-on-year to 292,131 models, accounting for just below a 3rd of the overall variety of automobiles bought worldwide final month.

In June, Toyota bought 10,191 battery electrical automobiles worldwide, together with its Lexus model, with about 5,000 of these bought in China. That introduced the overall variety of battery-powered automobiles bought within the first half of 2023 to 46,171 models.