Sales of new vehicles in Japan rose 7.0% in May from a year earlier to 278,661 units for the second straight month of increase, the Japan Automobile Dealers Association told Kyodo News.


Sales of passenger cars with engine capacity of more than 2,000 cc rose 1.8% to 92,709 units, and those of subcompact cars with engines of less than 2000 cc surged 10.3% to 145,473 units, truck sales gained 8.7% to 39,429 units and bus sales fell 1.0% to 1,050 units, the report added.


The Japan Mini Vehicles Association told Kyodo News that sales of new minivehicles, or vehicles with engines of up to 660 cc, increased 8.3% in May to 146,387 units for the second straight month of increase.