Yamaha to cut RI's output

Yamaha to cut RI's output

TOKYO (AFP): Japan's Yamaha Motor Co. Ltd. will slash its 1998 motorcycle output in Indonesia and Thailand in line with its decision to freeze new investment in the crisis-hit region, a spokesman said yesterday.

The second world's largest motorcycle manufacturer plans to reduce 1998 motorcycle output in Indonesia to 300,000 units from the 1997 level of 500, 000 units, the spokesman said.

In Thailand, it plans to cut motorcycle output to 100,000 units from 140, 000 in 1997, he said.

The downgrade decision was based on the company's plan announced Thursday to stop new investment in its Asian factories following Southeast Asia's economy crisis, the spokesman said. Yamaha Motor sees its motorcycle shipments to Asia in 1998, excluding China, falling 15 percent year-on-year to 6.20 million units, he said.