Toyota Motor Corp. said Tuesday it will suspend production at all of its Japanese plants for a total of 11 days in February and March because of faltering global demand.

Japan's top automaker announced last year it would halt production at its 12 domestic plants for three days in January.

But the company said Tuesday that with the global economic downturn more shutdowns were necessary. Toyota will stop output for six days in February and five days in March.

"We are coping with a slump in global sales," said Toyota spokesman Hideaki Homma.

Of Toyota's 12 domestic factories, four produce vehicles while the rest make engines and auto parts.

Hammered by a plunge in global auto sales, Toyota announced last month it will take its first operating loss in 70 years totaling 150 billion yen ($1.66 billion ) for the fiscal year ending March 2009.

Toyota, which makes the Prius gas-electric hybrid and Camry sedan, is forecasting a net profit of just 50 billion yen ($555 million), down from 1.7 trillion yen earned the previous year.