EconomyJapan manufacturers log 1st profit decline in 2 years
Automakers face US, China sales slump; steelmakers hit by cheap Chinese imports
Toyota's plant in Kentucky. Japanese automakers suffered from sluggish sales in the U.S. and China. (Toyota Motor)
TSUKASA MORIKUNI and KOSUKE OKAMOTO
TOKYO -- The combined net profit of Japan's manufacturers for the year ended March 31 declined 2% from the prior year, the first decline in two years, as automakers struggled with weak sales in the U.S. and China while steelmakers had to deal with a flood of cheap Chinese imports.