TOKYO, April 1 (Xinhua) -- Auto sales in Japan for the year ended March 2026 fell 0.9 percent from a year earlier to 4.53 million units, marking the first drop in four years, local media reported Wednesday.
The decline reflected weak sales at struggling Nissan Motor Co. and Honda Motor Co., Kyodo News reported, citing data from the Japan Automobile Dealers Association and the Japan Light Motor Vehicle and Motorcycle Association.
Domestic auto sales, excluding those of minivehicles with an engine displacement of 660 cc or less, fell 3.5 percent to 2.85 million units, with Toyota Motor Co. ranking top even though its sales dropped 2.7 percent to 1.37 million vehicles.
Nissan sold 227,277 units, plunging 19.0 percent, amid a shortage of new models other than the Leaf, its new electric vehicle, launched in January.
Honda saw sales drop 12.0 percent to 333,137 vehicles, despite the automaker releasing a new hybrid version of the Prelude in September last year.
Meanwhile, sales of minivehicles in fiscal 2025 rose 3.8 percent to 1.69 million vehicles. ■