New car sales in Japan dropped 5.6 percent in 2022 from the previous year to their lowest level in 45 years due to a semiconductor shortage and pandemic-caused supply chain disruptions, data from industry bodies showed Thursday.
A total of 4,201,321 cars including minivehicles with engines of up to 660 cc were sold last year in the country, according to the Japan Automobile Dealers Association and the Japan Light Motor Vehicle and Motorcycle Association.
Domestic auto sales in 2022 declined for the fourth consecutive year and dropped to their lowest level since 1977 when about 4,190,000 vehicles were sold.
Sales of cars other than minivehicles fell 8.3 percent to 2,563,184 units while 1,638,137 minivehicles were sold, down 0.9 percent, according to the associations.
