Nissan has become the latest Japanese automaker to report record profits for fiscal 2013.

Nissan says sales were up about 20 percent to over 10 billion dollars.

Profits came in at almost four billion dollars.

That’s 14 percent better than last year.

Japanese consumers rushed to buy cars ahead of a tax hike.

Sales were also brisk in the U.S.

Nissan is forecasting a roughly 7-percent increase in profits next year.

It says sales will stagnate in Japan but remain strong in America and Europe.

[caption id="attachment_2403" align="aligncenter" width="732"] Nissan announces record profit [/caption]