Toyota to suspend domestic production

TOKYO, Jan. 6 (UPI) -- Toyota Motor Co. said it will furlough factory workers in all of its Japanese plants for 11 days in February and March due to declining automobile sales.

The work stoppage would affect its entire domestic production, including four vehicle assembly lines and eight plants that make transmissions and other parts, The New York Times reported Tuesday.

In December, Toyota's sales fell 37 percent, a sharper decline than reported by General Motors Corp. or Ford Motor Co.

Toyota has predicted the fiscal year 2008 would end up with its first annual net loss in 70 years.