Domestic sales of new cars, trucks and buses in May rose 2.3 percent from the same month last year to 291,363 units, logging the first increase in two months, the Japan Automobile Dealers Association said Monday.

The association attributed the increase to continuing brisk sales of trucks and larger cars, including the Mitsubishi Grandis minivan.

Sales of new cars with engine displacements of 2,001cc or more jumped 13.3 percent from the same month in 2002 to 51,315 units, up for the fifth straight month.