Japan non-mini auto sales -27.9 percent in January 2009

Automobile sales in Japan, excluding
660cc minivehicles, slumped 27.9 percent in January from a year
earlier to 174,281 vehicles, the Japan Automobile Dealers
Association said on Monday.
It was the worst percentage fall on record for the month of
January, with sales at a 37-year low.
Sales at top-ranked Toyota Motor Corp , excluding the
Lexus brand, fell 22.5 percent, while Nissan Motor Co’s
sales fell 31.1 percent and Honda Motor Co’s retreated
30.7 percent.

 The following is a sales breakdown, with percentage changes
from a year earlier, for January.
 TOTAL                   174,281 (-27.9)
 Cars                    153,950 (-28.0)
 Trucks                   19,290 (-27.5)
 Toyota Motor        83,255 (-23.4)

- Toyota brand            81,985 (-22.5)

- Lexus*                   1,270 (-57.7)
 Nissan Motor        30,786 (-31.1)
 Honda Motor         22,087 (-30.7)
 Mazda Motor         10,701 (-34.5)
 Mitsubishi Motors    2,988 (-53.9)
 Suzuki Motor         4,557 (-17.1)
 Fuji Heavy           4,088 (-28.2)
 Imports              8,915 (-37.2)

*Lexus is the luxury brand of Toyota Motor. Sales in Japan
began on Aug. 30, 2005.