Sales of new domestic cars, trucks and buses in Japan fell 2.2 percent in fiscal 2004 from a year earlier to 3,939,734 units, marking the second consecutive yearly decline, the Japan Automobile Dealers Association said Friday.
The figure sank below the 4 million mark for the first time in three years. The data exclude minivehicles, which have an engine displacement of 660cc or smaller. Fiscal 2004 ended Thursday.
By type, sales of cars with engine displacement of over 2,000cc rose 2.5 percent on strong sales of new models.
Those of subcompacts with engines of up to 2,000cc fell 1.9 percent, affected by strong popularity in minivehicles.
The Japan Mini Vehicles Association said the same day that sales of minivehicles rose 1.1 percent in the fiscal year to about 1.88 million units, posting a second straight yearly growth.