While last night's Tankan manufacturing reports met lowered expectations, it seems the reality of the domestic Japanese economy remains as bleak as ever. As Nikkei reports [6], Japan's domestic sales of new cars, trucks, and buses declined 15.8% for a year earlier in June for the second consecutive month. Even if one argues that Abenomics goal is not just boosting the domestic economy, total Japanese car sales were down almost 11% YoY as Honda saw its sales drop a stunning 40.7%. The latest figures continue this year's downward trend and while some blame the particularly sharp drop on fewer selling days in June, the auto dealer's association also said reflects the "ongoing severe" situation in the domestic market.
Via Nikkei [6],
...
The latest figures continue this year's downward trend as sales have flagged after the government subsidies on eco-friendly cars expired in September. The association said that sales for the first half of this year are so far 11.6% off from a year earlier. While the association partly attributed the particularly sharp drop last month to the fewer number of selling days, it said it also reflects the "ongoing severe" situation in the domestic market.
Of Japan's Big Three auto makers, Honda Motor Co. suffered the steepest percentage fall in sales in June with a drop of 40.7% to 26,757 vehicles, followed by Toyota Motor Corp. which logged a 18.3% decline in sales to 121,514 vehicles. Nissan Motor Co. posted a 12.4% drop to 37,309 vehicles.
...

