New car sales excluding minivehicles fell 7.3 percent year on year to 219,099 units in May after posting the first gain in eight months in April, an industry body said Monday.

Car sales fell 8.9 percent to 191,976 units, while truck sales increased 6.8 percent to 26,490 units, the Japan Automobile Dealers Association said. Bus sales dropped 14.0 percent to 633 units.

Sales of new minivehicles with engine displacement of up to 660cc in May dropped 6.3 percent to 148,549 units, the first fall in two months, the Japan Mini Vehicles Association said.

Sales of minicars fell 8.4 percent to 116,460 units, while sales of mini trucks increased 2.1 percent to 32,089 units.