Tokyo , Japan ( CNN ) -- Toyota returned to profits for the fiscal year ending in March , despite the continuing economic downturn and a series of recalls that rattled consumer confidence in the United States , the Japanese automaker said Tuesday . Toyota reported an annual profit of 209 billion yen ( $ 2.2 billion ) over the last year , the company said at a news conference . That figure compares to a loss of 437 billion yen for fiscal year 2008 . This is `` still in a tough storm , but we are starting to see some sun on the horizon , '' Toyota President Akio Toyoda said , noting the challenge his company has faced in the wake of a continuing economic downturn and the recall of some 10 million of its cars . Net revenues for the fiscal year decreased of 7.7 percent compared to 2009 , while operating revenue for the year recovered from a loss of 461 billion yen to a profit of 147.5 billion yen , the company announced . Cost-cutting measures helped make Toyota profitable . Vehicle sales for the fiscal year totaled 7.24 million units , a decrease of 330,000 units from the preceding fiscal year , Toyota said . Sales were up by 218,00 vehicles in Japan and another 74,000 units across the rest of Asia . The story was different in the United States and Europe , where sales fell by 114,000 and 204,000 units . Toyota cars and trucks have been the subject of at least three separate major recalls in the past year . One was for the `` sticky pedal '' situation in which gas pedals , as they age , begin to stick in a partially depressed position . Another was for gas pedals that can stick on some floor mats , and a third was for braking problems on Toyota Prius hybrid cars . In April , Toyota indicated to the U.S. government it would pay a $ 16.4 million fine -- the largest ever against an automaker -- for failing to notify the Department of Transportation of the `` sticky pedal '' defect for at least four months . Despite the problems , Toyota announced in late April that production soared more than 80 percent in March compared to year-ago levels . Toyota Tuesday predicted sales growth across the board for 2011 , pinning its hopes on green cars and the emerging markets like India and China .
Toyota reports $ 2.2 billion profit for fiscal year 2009 that ended on March 31 , 2010 . Operating revenue recovers from 2008 losses to profit in 2009 , Japanese carmaker says . 2009 sales were up across Asia and Japan , but down in both North America and Europe . The company said it expects a recovery of about 1 - 2 % next year as the economy improves.