Toyota vehicle operations to post loss

Toyota's mainstay vehicle operations are likely to post their first ever loss for the fiscal year through March 2009, Japanese media reports said Friday, highlighting the dire conditions faced by global automakers.

The Nikkei, Japan's top business daily, said Toyota's standalone operating result will be a loss for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2009. It did not cite sources. Kyodo News had a similar report.

The reports said that the Toyota group of companies — including Daihatsu Motor Co., which makes small cars, and truckmaker Hino Motors — will manage to post a profit for the fiscal year through March 2009.

Toyota declined comment on the reports.