Honda Motor Co’s car sales in Japan rose 13% in the first three weeks of August from the same period last year, helped by government incentives to boost auto demand, two sources familiar with the matter said.
At the current pace, Honda’s monthly sales excluding mini vehicles would post a double-digit rise for the first time in 10 months.
Japanese car demand dropped sharply after the economic downturn hit the country last fall, but has started picking up thanks to tax breaks and subsidies under a government initiative to promote cleaner vehicles.
The two companies have outperformed industry-wide sales so far in August, which have been flat year-on-year, the same source said. Industry-wide sales fell 4.2% in July from a year earlier