Sales of imported vehicles rose 4 percent in August from a year earlier to 18,890 units, increasing for the second month in a row, the Japan Automobile Importers Association said Thursday.
Sales of vehicles made by foreign manufacturers gained 6.4 percent to 17,861 units, while those made at Japanese automakers' overseas factories plunged 24.8 percent to 1,029 units.
The August figures brought sales of imported vehicles so far this year to 181,924 units, up 1.6 percent from the January-August period last year. Foreign automakers' products in the eight-month period accounted for 172,188 units, up 4.7 percent.