Sales of imported vehicles in Japan rose 56.6% last month compared with July last year to 21,683 units.

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This was the ninth straight monthly rise although it includes vehicles made by Japanese carmakers overseas including the recently-launched Nissan March/Micra which is now made in Thailand.

The Micra benefits under the Japanese government’s subsidy programme for purchases of eco-friendly cars, said the Japan Automobile Importers Association.

Of the July total, Japanese brand vehicles increased to 6,354 units from 1,535 a year ago, while sales of imported foreign brand vehicles were up 24.6% to 15,329.

Nissan has said domestic orders for March had reached 12,147 units in just two weeks after launch in Japan, over three times its monthly target of 4,000.

Top foreign brand importer was Volkswagen with sales of 4,874 units, up 58.1%, and BMW remained in third place with sales of 2,677 units, up 32.6%.

 

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