Japan's new car sales soar 27.5 % in January

Japan's domestic new car sales, excluding mini vehicles, soared 27.5 percent on yearly basis to 292,446 units in January, rising for five consecutive month, local media reported Monday. Citing the Japan Automobile Dealers Association, Kyodo News said passenger car sales rose 28 percent to 264,278 units, and truck sales increased 24.4 percent to 27,587 units. Bus sales dropped 4.6 percent to 581 units. In the reporting period, Toyota Motor Corp.'s sales rose 19.2 percent to 125,568 vehicles with those of its Lexus upscale vehicles up 16.8 percent at 4,161. Nissan Motor Co.'s sales were 1. 8 percent higher at 45,024 and Honda Motor Co.'s sales more than doubled to 49,411 from 20,960 after it released two new models recently. Sales of mini vehicles gained 32.1 percent to 203,659 units, up for the seventh consecutive month, the Japan Mini Vehicles Association said.