[02 Feb] Japan's Domestic Auto Sales up 36.8% on Year in January

Japan's domestic sales of new cars, trucks and buses increased 36.8% from a year earlier in January, thanks to government buying incentives, the Japan Automobile Dealers Association said Monday.

It was the sixth consecutive month of sales increase.

Sales totaled 238,362 vehicles in January, up from 174,281 a year earlier when auto demand dropped in the aftermath of the financial crisis, the association said.

Auto sales, as measured by registrations of vehicles with the government, are monitored by economists since they are the first consumer spending numbers released each month.

The figures don't include sales of mini cars trucks.

(Source: irco.biz)