Japanese Import Sales Show 6-Month Uptick of 1.8%

TOKYO – Midway through 2016 the Japanese import-car market was up 1.8% over the previous year as sales rose to 170,366 units, according to the Japan Automobile Importers Assn.

In its July sales report, the JAIA notes January-June sales included 145,501 foreign-brand cars. The remaining 24,865 were built by Japanese automakers mostly at plants in Southeast Asia.

At a recent news conference, JAIA Chairman Peter Kronschnabi predicts the market will post calendar-year sales of 300,000 units, up 5% over 2015.

If foreign brands met JAIA’s forecast, it would be the highest total since 1997 when Japanese consumers bought 304,702 units.

Kronschnabi warned of uncertainty stemming from the U.K.’s decision to leave the European Union and the Japanese government’s possible suspension of plans to eliminate the Automobile Acquisition Tax, long considered a barrier to sales of foreign cars.

Imports, which accounted for 6.5% of new-vehicle demand in 2015, are running ahead of domestically built cars this year.

In JAIA’s 6-month sales report, Mercedes-Benz remained No.1 with 32,241 units, down 1.3%, followed by Volkswagen (24,079, down 15.5%); BMW (24,639, up 8.7%); Audi (14,137, down 10.2%); and BMW’s Mini brand (11,810, up 14.2%). Combined BMW and Mini sales totaled 36,449, up 10.1%.

Rounding out the top 10 were Nissan (9,176 deliveries), Toyota (7,866), Volvo (7,147), Suzuki (4,461) and Jeep (4,358). Counting Jeep, now part of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, U.S. brand sales totaled 6,630 units.

The VW Golf again was the top-selling model registering 6-month sales of 12,172 units, followed by Mini (11,810) and Mercedes C-Class (8,514).

Toyota, the leading truck brand, delivered 6,815 units, 90.5% of truck sales.