TOKYO, Jan. 26(Xinhuanet)-- Japanese automakers produced 10.51 million vehicles in 2004, up 2.2 percent from the previous year, the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association said Wednesday.

The output number also signaled a growth for the third year in a row.

Exports grew 4.2 percent to 4.96 million vehicles, whereas domestic sales gained only by 0.4 percent.

Production of passenger cars rose 2.9 percent to 8.7 million vehicles, truck output fell 0.9 percent to 1.7 million vehicles and bus output slipped 1.0 percent to 60,442 vehicles.

Exports to Europe increased 10.0 percent to 1.28 million units for the third consecutive year of rise, while those to Central andSouth America grew 26.6 percent to 344,844 units, for the first rise in four years.

Meanwhile, exports to Asia slipped 2.5 percent to 510,939 units.Those to North America fell 3.4 percent to 1.7 million units.

All major car makers made gains except the scandal-hit Mitsubishi Motors Corp.

The top Toyota Motor Corp. sold 1.76 million vehicles, grabbingabout 44 percent of domestic share, up 2.5 percent from the previous year.

Mitsubishi Motors saw their sales dropping by nearly a third amid a series of defect cover-up scandals.