Registrations of new passenger cars, trucks and buses fell 45 percent in May, compared to a year earlier, according to data released June 6 by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association.
Registrations for all vehicle types – not including motorcycles – dropped to 218,285 in May, down from 396,120 in the year-earlier period. Sales for all vehicle types were also down 19 percent from 270,393 in April.
Passenger car sales slid to 174,404 in May, down 47 percent from 327,418 in the year-earlier period. Truck sales were down 36 percent at 43,470. Total bus sales were down 51 percent at 411.
New registrations for motorcycles in Japan fell 28 percent to 19,772 in May. This was also down 23 percent from 25,569 in April.
Japan’s government, following an analysis and assessment, announced on May 25 the lifting of the country’s state of emergency that was in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The head of the country’s Novel Coronavirus Response Headquarters declared a state of emergency on April 7.