Japan Car Sales In 2009: Down 9.3 Percent

Bertel Schmitt
by Bertel Schmitt

It’s getting old (in more ways than one:) The Japanese new car market marked its fifth straight fall in 2009. Sales of new cars, including minivehicles, dropped 9.3 percent in 2009 to just 4.6 million units. For the first time since 1978, the 5m level was ruptured, reports the Nikkei [sub].

Sales of regular cars dropped 9.1 percent to 2.92 million units. Sales of minivehicles (cars with a displacement of 660cc or less) fell 9.7 percent to 1.68 million units.

The only genki part: In December, new car sales were up 21.6 percent, fueled by government tax breaks for green cars. With minivehicles are excluded, sales of new cars increased 36.5 percent.

Refer to TTAC’s roundup of 2009 sales data for a continuously updated roundup of 2009 sales data from around the world.

Bertel Schmitt
Bertel Schmitt

Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.

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  • Da Coyote Da Coyote on Jan 05, 2010

    Earth to Japan: Keep the quality, loose the Bangle-styling. I'd love to get a Honda or Toyota - but cannot get past the ugliness.

  • Tparkit Tparkit on Jan 05, 2010

    Look for even worse sales, particularly as measured in terms of revenue (not units sold)... after spiraling downward for 20 years, during two decades when the rest of the world was growing, Japan's moribund economy is about to fall apart altogether.

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