Japan's new auto sales up for 3rd straight year

According to the Japan Automobile Dealers Association and the Japan Light Motor Vehicle and Motorcycle Association, the new auto sales stood at 4,575,705 units, up 1.0 % from the previous year.

Vehicle production dipped in the April-September first half due to the impact of test fraud scandals at Toyota Motor Corp. and Daihatsu Motor Co., but it recovered in the second half.

New vehicle models released during the year mostly sold well. But total vehicle sales did not reach the pre-pandemic level of over five million units. Sales of vehicles other than minivehicles rose 1.6 % to 2,948,294 units.

Minivehicle sales rose 0.1 % to 1,627,411 units.

At Honda Motor Co., total vehicle sales logged 9.4 % growth as its new Freed minivan proved popular.

Suzuki Motor Corp. came next with a rise of 6.4 %, followed by 6.1 % at Mitsubishi Motors Corp.

Nissan Motor Co. saw a 4.8 % decline, with none of its new models capturing attention.

Sales at Toyota and Daihatsu fell by 1.6 % and 1.9 %, respectively, as the impact of their test fraud scandals lingered.

For March alone, total new vehicle sales reached 499,745 units, up 10.7 % from the year before.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]

Photo by Reuters