Japan's Mitsubishi Motors Corp said on Monday it was looking to hire workers to add a second shift at a domestic factory thanks to a slight recovery in overseas demand.
A spokesman said that the maker of the Outlander SUV was looking to add back a shift on the passenger car line at its three-line Mizushima factory around November, but that the company had not decided how many workers would be hired.
National broadcaster NHK reported earlier that Mitsubishi Motors would add about 1,000 workers. A source with knowledge of the plan said the number would be significantly lower.
Mitsubishi Motors, like many automakers worldwide, had reduced production earlier this year as demand crumbled, moving to a single shift on the passenger car line at the Mizushima factory in western Japan since late January.
The company has also announced plans to return to a two-shift operation at its Okazaki factory in central Japan from September, partly using personnel on loan from affiliated companies.
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