BEIJING (Reuters) - Toyota Motor <7203.T> said on Thursday that it sold 38,500 cars in China during May, 35 percent less than a year ago, due the part shortage caused by Japan's devastating earthquake and tsunami in March.

In the first five months of the year, the Japanese automaker sold 294,900 cars in China, down 2.1 percent from the year-ago period, it added.

(Reporting by Fang Yan and Ken Wills)