Toyota has said it plans to increase production by 20% next year as it tries to recover ground lost due to March's earthquake in Japan and the recent floods in Thailand.

The company aims to produce 8.48 million vehicles in 2012, and increase sales by a quarter to 8.65 million.

Toyota is due to lose its crown as the world's biggest carmaker this year to the US's General Motors (GM).

Earlier this month, the carmaker halved its profit forecast for this year. It now expects a net profit of 180bn yen ($2.3bn; £1.5bn) for the year ending 31 March 2012, compared with its previous forecast of 390bn made in August.

Full article: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-16298112