Japan’s Auto Sales Slide 6%

Automakers sold 359,300 cars, minicars, trucks and buses in Japan last month compared with 381,100 units a year earlier, industry groups report.

The Japan Automobile Dealers Assn. notes that demand sagged after government incentives expired in late September.

October sales of standard-sized passenger and commercial vehicles in Japan fell 9% to 225,500 units, marking the second consecutive year-over-year decline after 13 months of increases, JADA says. Volume dropped 6% to 113,500 vehicles at Toyota, plummeted 45% to 20,000 units at Honda and slipped 3% to 34,800 units at Nissan.

Demand for minivehicles, which are powered by engines displacing 660 cc or less, rose less than 1% to 133,800 units in Japan last month, according to the Japan Mini Vehicles Assn.