Auto Sales Surge 66% in Japan

Carmakers sold 395,000 new cars, minivehicles, trucks and buses in Japan last month compared with 237,900 units in May 2011, according to industry trade groups.

May sales were buoyed by government incentives for buyers of fuel-efficient models. Volume also benefited by the comparison to unusually low year-earlier volume in the aftermath of Japan's March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

Sales of standard size cars jumped 64% to 210,800 units, according to the Japan Automobile Dealers Assn. It says truck volume soared 86% to 24,800 units. By company, sales more than doubled to 110,700 vehicles at Toyota, rose 17% to 32,900 units at Nissan and jumped 48% to 31,600 units at Honda.

Demand for minivehicles, which are powered by engines displacing 660 cc or less, grew by two-thirds to 158,600 units, the Japan Mini Vehicles Assn. says.

In the first five months of 2012, total vehicle volume has surged 56% to 2.4 million units.