Japanese domestic market sales of new motor vehicles over 660 cc fell 0.9% in 2005, the second consecutive yearly decline as sales dropped for the sixth straight month in December, an industry body told the Kyodo News on Thursday.

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New vehicle sales in 2005 totalled 3,928,351 units, with passenger car sales down 1.0% to 3,361,341, the Japan Automobile Dealers Association reportedly said.


Association officials reportedly blamed a worsening of the sales environment, including soaring petrol prices, for the sluggish sales. They also said it would be difficult to expect strong sales growth in 2006.


Sales of passenger cars with engine displacements of over 2000 cc dropped 6.4% to 1,271,305, but sales of small cars with engines of over 600 cc to 2000 cc rose 2.6% to 2,090,036.


Last year’s truck sales rose 0.2% to 549,256, and bus sales fell 2.2% to 17,754.

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By automaker, Toyota and Honda saw declines in sales, but Nissan Motor and Mitsubishi Motors saw upbeat results, the report said.


In December, new vehicle sales fell 9.7% from the year before to 273,834. While passenger car sales dropped 12.0% to 231,261, truck sales rose 5.3% to 41,408 and bus sales were up 13.0% to 1,165.


Meanwhile, domestic sales of new minivehicles (cars with engines of up to 660 cc) posted an all-time high of 1,923,717 units in 2005, up 1.7%, hitting a record for the second straight year, the Japan Mini Vehicles Association told Kyodo News.


Toyota affiliate Daihatsu held a share of more than 30% for the first time in 2005 in the minivehicle market and Suzuki also expanded its sales.