Foreign cars are making bigger inroads into the traditionally tough Japanese market as motorists, tired of some bland local brands, choose sporty models and sleek styling.
Despite a slowdown in overall car demand in Japan, the number of foreign cars sold here went up in the first half of the year, with U.S. and German cars proving particularly popular, according to sales data released this month.The figures, compiled by a vehicle importers' industry group, showed sales of imported cars rose 14.9 percent in the six-month period from a year earlier to 213,308.
In June alone, sales of imported cars rose 4.2 percent from the same month last year, the Japan Automobile Importers' Association said. Sales of imported cars have now been rising every month on a year-on-year basis for 32 months.
Although still only a small part of overall car sales in Japan, the statistics show that foreign makers - whose cars carry a luxury cachet in status-conscious Japan - are gaining some ground on the Japanese car giants on their home turf.
"Clearly, a shift in demand from Japanese cars to foreign cars is one of the factors in the higher sales of imported cars. Japanese consumers are getting tired of Japanese brand cars which look alike," association planning manager Ken Kano said.
While Japanese carmakers are enjoying a domestic boom in quirky recreational vehicles, which appeal to young and trendy buyers, most of them are struggling to sell family-size sedans, which tend to lack individual character, analysts say.
"Foreign cars are still enjoying strong demand here, unlike Japanese cars, and sales will continue to rise in the second half. I am sure Japanese sales of imported vehicles will reach 450,000 vehicles in calendar 1996," Kano said.
Total sales of German cars rose 20.7 percent from a year earlier to 90,738 in the six months to June, while combined sales of the U.S. "Big Three" carmakers rose 34.6 percent to 25,749.