Toyota Motor Corp said on Tuesday it would send a delegation to Russia soon to look into the possibility of making commercial vehicles there.
The mission, which will be sent soon, will look at the possibility of assembling vehicles in Russia.
The type of vehicle is likely to be a commercial vehicle, Toyota executive vice president Akira Yokoi told Reuters.
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Toyota could begin assembling the vehicles in Russia in one or two years, although full production was unlikely in the near future.
Yokoi, who is in charge of overseas business for Toyota, also said no decision had been made yet on where and when it would begin making a small car in Europe.
Toyota said in March it was considering making small cars at a possible new plant in Europe for launch in 1999.
Toyotas European production activities are currently based in Britain. A second plant will be operational in Derbyshire, central England, from 1998.
Toyota officials said cars expected to be made at the new plant in Europe would go on sale in Japan first.
Yes, we plan to produce and sell (the small cars) in Japan, said Akihiro Wada, a Toyota executive vice president in charge of car development.
Yokoi also said Toyota may apply to the Indian government within the next two weeks for permission to build cars there with its Indian joint venture partner.
He said the company was in the final stages of finalising details with its Indian partner.
Yokoi said its partner, the Kirloskar Group, may take a 26 percent stake in the venture, with the rest held by Toyota.
In late June, Vikram Kirloskar, chairman of Mysore Kirloskar Ltd, said Toyota planned to hold a 70 to 80 percent stake in the venture to produce a sports utility vehicle from 1999.