Sales of Imported Vehicles Fall in Japan
(Associated Press)
Tightened purse strings as a result of a sales tax rise in April sent sales of imported vehicles in Japan lower in June, the third year-on-year monthly decline, an industry group said. Sales of cars, trucks and buses dropped 20.5% to 32,176 vehicles in June from the same month last year, the Japan Automobile Importers Assn. said. The fall in June followed a 27% slip in May and a 36.8% decline in April. Sales of U.S.-made cars were down 31.9% to 7,396 cars in June from the same month last year, while sales of German vehicles slipped by 14.1%. Tatsuru Kano, an association spokesman, said the tax increase from 3% to 5% continued to drag on car sales and will probably continue through the fall.
