Tsunami, the Japanese Car Market Down 51 Percent

TOKYO, RIMANEWS - Japanese car market in April fell to its lowest average monthly sales since 1968 as the impact of natural disasters last March. Throughout the four months yesterday, recorded total sales of 108,824 units, down 51 percent compared to same month in 2010.

Japan Automobile Dealers Association (Japan Automobile Dealers Association), as reported by the Wall Street Journal (02/04/2011) said the decline in sales was not final because it did not count the cars with a capacity of 660cc engine down. Even this figure is lower than the achievement of which was recorded in March fell 37 percent.

Toyota's sales plummeted to 69 per cent to 35,557 units compared to last month. Lexus similar fate, fell 45 percent to just 1656 units. Nissan participate shrank 37 percent to be 17,413 units, while Honda Motor Company was not behind the "drop" 49 percent to 18,923 units. Other brand, Mazda also dropped 39 percent so 6598 units and the Mitsubishi 3515 minus 20 percent that leads the unit.

Natural disasters that occurred last March has damaged the supply chain of automotive industry components not only in Japan but worldwide. About 500 companies that have factories in the north of Japan swept the tsunami resulted in the production car should be disturbed by half capacity. New predicted recovery occurs around late November or December 2011. (Yus / KCM)