New automobile sales in Japan shrank 19.2% from a year before to 344,816 units in February, down for the second consecutive month, industry data showed Friday.
The decline reflected the effects of certification test scandals, with new vehicle sales at Daihatsu down roughly 80% and those at Toyota, to which Toyota Industries supplies engines, down about 30%.
Industrywide sales of new automobiles excluding minivehicles with engine displacements of up to 660cc fell 16% pct to 226,769 units, while minivehicle sales plunged 24.8% to 118,047 units, according to the data from the Japan Automobile Dealers Association and the Japan Light Motor Vehicle and Motorcycle Association.
Daihatsu suspended shipments of all domestic vehicle models after its fraudulent testing came to light. Daihatsu saw its sales fall by about 60% in January, with the company shipping vehicles from inventories to customers who had been scheduled to receive them.
The automaker resumed shipments of some models in February after confirming their safety, but the scandal dealt a major blow to sales for the month.
Toyota’s vehicle sales shrank by some 80% for minivehicles and by some 30% for larger models in February. The dip in non-minivehicle sales chiefly reflected the halt in supplies of engines from subsidiary Toyota Industries.
Meanwhile, vehicle sales grew at Honda and Suzuki.
“It is unclear when (Daihatsu) will be able to resume shipments of the Tanto model and other popular models, so the situation is likely to be dire in March as well,” a public relations official of the Japan Light Motor Vehicle and Motorcycle Association said.
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