Sales of new cars, trucks and buses soared 46.7 percent in August from a year earlier to 290,789 units for the 13th straight monthly increase, an industry group said Wednesday.
Analysts attributed the rise to a rush for fuel-efficient vehicles before the government pulls the plug on subsidies at the end of this month.
Sales of cars, excluding minivehicles, increased 49.0 percent to 267,777 units, the Japan Automobile Dealers Association said.
Truck sales grew 23.0 percent to 21,740 units and bus sales climbed 54.0 percent to 1,272 units.
The Japan Mini Vehicles Association meanwhile said sales of minivehicles in August rose 21.7 percent from a year earlier to 134,197 units, marking record sales for the month of August.