Tokyo - Japan's automakers posted declines in domestic sales and increases in exports in the first six months of 2008, attributing the falls to surging oil prices and stronger exports to rising demand in other Asian nations, mainly China.

Toyota Motor Corp and its subsidiaries, Daihatsu Motor Co and Hino Motors Ltd, saw a 1.7-per-cent drop in sales in Japan in the January-June period to 1.18 million units, compared with the same period last year.

The company's exports, however, grew 3.6 per cent to 1.47 million units.

Its global production rose 5.8 per cent to 4.98 million units.

Domestic sales of Nissan Motor Co also dipped 0.8 per cent to 389,553 units, but exports jumped 55.4 per cent to 407,626 units, owing to strong exports to the United States.

Nissan's global output climbed 11.3 per cent to 1.83 million units.

Mazda Motor Corp saw its domestic sales fall 0.6 per cent to 134,979 units, but exports soared 22.7 per cent to 459,392 units.

Its global output rose 13.5 per cent to 707,857 units.

Honda Motor Co was the only automaker with increasing domestic sales in the first six months and sluggish exports.

Honda's sales in Japan inched up 3.1 per cent to 331,690 units while exports declined 5.4 per cent to 321,050 units, the first decline in seven years for the company.

Its global output was up 1.6 per cent to 1.99 million units. (dpa)