JAPAN

Auto Sales Tumble in ‘92: Hit by sluggish domestic demand, Japanese vehicle sales fell 7.2% in 1992 from a year earlier, the second straight annual decline, the Japan Automobile Dealers Assn. said. A total of 5,333,785 motor vehicles were sold in Japan in 1992, excluding mini-vehicles. Toyota, Japan’s top car maker, saw sales fall 5.4% to 2.23 million vehicles. In December, 1991, Toyota had forecast 1992 domestic sales of 2.46 million. Sales at Nissan, Japan’s second-biggest car maker, fell 10.8% to 1.20 million. Makers of recreational-type vehicles, however, posted gains. Mitsubishi Motors posted a 3% growth to 494,194 vehicles. Sales at Suzuki rose 19% to 54,245.