New car sales in Japan declined for the third straight year in fiscal 2021, down 9.5% from a year earlier, as production slowed on shortages of semiconductors and other components amid the coronavirus pandemic, industry bodies said Friday.
A total of 4,215,826 cars were sold in the year ended Thursday, according to the Japan Automobile Dealers Association and the Japan Light Motor Vehicle and Motorcycle Association.
Domestic auto sales excluding mini vehicles slumped 8.2% to 2,660,855 units, the second lowest since the survey began in fiscal 1968.
Toyota Motor Corp. sold 1,313,913 units, down 9.7%. The pandemic's impact in Southeast Asia forced it to scramble for parts and temporarily reduce domestic production significantly.
Honda Motor Co. and Nissan Motor Co. marked declines of 3.4% and 1.1%, respectively. Mazda Motor Corp. reported a 15.4% fall, with Subaru Corp. losing 14.2%.
Sales of minivehicles, which have an engine displacement of up to 660cc, tumbled 11.5% to 1,554,971 units, the lowest in 24 years.
Daihatsu Motor Co., Toyota's minicar subsidiary, sold 506,436 cars, down 7.8%. Suzuki Motor Corp. suffered a 12.8% fall to 470,498 units.