AUTOS

Toyota to Boost U.S. Part Purchases: Toyota Motor Corp. plans to increase its purchases of U.S.-built parts nearly 40% in the next three years, the company’s international purchasing manager said. Nearly all the increases will be in parts used by Toyota’s U.S. manufacturing plants, Koichiro Noguchi said. The auto maker spent $4.65 billion on U.S.-built parts in the fiscal year that ended in March. It expects that total to reach $6.45 billion for the year that ends in March, 1997. “Growth will continue as long as American suppliers continue working to shorten their lead times, to raise their quality and to lower their costs,” Noguchi told automotive writers in Detroit. He said there is considerable room for improvement.