P.M. BRIEFING : Honda to Give Chrysler Boost

Honda Motor Co. Ltd. has agreed to lend part of its Japanese dealer network to Chrysler Corp. to sell two Jeep sport-utility vehicles, the companies said today.

Chrysler will become the first company to offer vehicles through Honda’s dealers in Japan. Sales will begin this fall with 1991 models of Jeep Cherokee and Wrangler.

For years, Chrysler Chairman Lee A. Iacocca has bemoaned his company’s inability to deeply penetrate the Japanese car and truck market, either because of government regulation or dealer resistance.

The Chrysler-Honda deal is expected to more than double the number of cars Chrysler sold in Japan last year.

Chrysler currently markets cars and Jeeps in Japan through a distribution network called Chrysler Japan Sales Ltd., a joint venture between Chrysler and J. Osawa and Co. Chrysler spokeswoman Karen Stewart said about 1,500 Chrysler vehicles were sold in Japan last year.