New car sales in Japan grew 13.8 percent in 2023 from the previous year, climbing for the first time in five years as manufacturers ramped up production following an ease in the global semiconductor shortage, data from industry bodies showed Friday.
Automakers sold 4,779,086 cars domestically last year, including minivehicles with engines of up to 660 cc, although the numbers failed to return to prepandemic levels, according to the Japan Automobile Dealers Association and the Japan Light Motor Vehicle and Motorcycle Association.
The increase comes after domestic auto sales in the country dropped to their lowest level in 45 years in 2022 at around 4.2 million vehicles.
Sales of cars other than minivehicles increased 18.4 percent to 3,034,167, according to the associations.
