JAPAN DATA: New vehicle sales in Japan posted the third consecutive
year-on-year in November, thanks to a sharp drop in demand the year
before which was caused by the end to the government’s reward program
for buying low-emission vehicles, data released by the Japan Automobile
Dealers Association on Thursday showed. New vehicle sales rose 24.1%
last month from a year earlier to 252,236 units. Separately, the Japan
Mini Vehicle Association reported that domestic sales of new small
vehicles (with engine displacement of less than 660 cc) rose 19.1% y/y
to 143,331 in November, following a 19.9% rise in October, which was the
first y/y gain in 13 months.