TRADE : Exports of 4-Wheel Vehicles by Japan Down 10% in April

Paced by a sharp fall in sales to North America and Europe, Japan’s exports of four-wheel vehicles in April dropped 10.2% from a year ago to 524,909 units, the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Assn. reported Tuesday.

The association said exports included 382,447 passenger cars, down 10.9%; 139,808 trucks, down 7.3%, and 2,654 buses, down 40.0%.

The total value of exports declined 7.9% to $45.79 billion, the association said.

Exports to North America plunged 17.5% to 252,505 units, including 196,387 passenger cars and 56,118 trucks.

Japanese auto makers agreed to extend a 2.3-million-unit voluntary quota for car exports to the United States for another year, starting in April.

The association said sales to Europe totaled 145,950 units, down 10.2%. They included 122,914 passenger cars, 22,604 trucks and 432 buses.

The group said sales to Southeast Asian countries jumped 22.8% to 46,777 units, including 18,347 passenger cars, 27,758 trucks and 674 buses.