Minivehicle sales in Japan in the first six months of 2000 rose 3 percent from a year before to 996,096, a record high for any half-year period, an industry body said Thursday.

It was also the second consecutive first-half gain, the Japan Mini Vehicles Association said.

Sales of passenger models rose 7.7 percent to 685,265 vehicles, but sales of commercial-use minivehicles dropped 6.1 percent to 310,831.