Japan's new auto sales rise 10.5 % in April
New automobile sales in Japan in April rose 10.5 pct from a year before to 342,876 units, increasing for the fourth consecutive month, industry data showed Thursday.
Five of the eight major domestic automakers posted higher sales, according to the data from the Japan Automobile Dealers Association and the Japan Light Motor Vehicle and Motorcycle Association.
Daihatsu Motor Co. saw its sales more than double from the same month of last year, when the company temporarily suspended shipments due to a scandal over fraudulent vehicle tests.
Sales at Toyota Motor Co., which sources some vehicles from Daihatsu, a subsidiary, grew 11.8 %.
Nissan Motor Co.'s sales fell 19 % due to a delay in launching new models.
Honda Motor Co. suffered a 10.1 % fall as the effects of model changes waned.
Minivehicle sales surged 22.4 % to 125,812 units.
Sales of larger vehicles grew 4.6 % to 217,064 units.
The sales increase was partly attributable to a recovery in production at a factory of parts supplier Chuo Spring Co. in Aichi Prefecture following an explosion in March, an official at the Japan Automobile Dealers Association said.
Auto sales are expected to remain on a rising trend in the months to come because some automakers are scheduled to release redesigned models, the official said.
[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
Photo by Reuters
