The Osaka-based major minicar maker will no longer sponsor the 13-year-old Daihatsu Challenge Cup, a race for general Daihatsu owners, while stopping participating both in the Japanese Rally Championship and All Japan Dirt Trial in the 2009 season.
Daihatsu's business has deteriorated due to sluggish exports amid the global economic slump.
Daihatsu is cutting domestic production by 46,000 units for the current business year through March 31, which forced the company to dismiss a combined 500 to 600 nonregular workers at the Osaka, Kyoto and Shiga factories.
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