Japan's new auto sales fall 3.3 pct in November

TOKYO, Dec. 3 (Xinhua) -- Japan's new auto sales fell 3.3 percent from a year earlier in November to 243,974 units, Japan Automobile Dealers Association said on Monday.

Sales of passenger cars fell 3.3 percent to 213,762 units. But the sales of compact cars gained 8.4 percent to 113,056 units, helped by the government's subsidy program for the purchase of environmentally friendly cars and the robust sales of models such as Nissan Motor Co.'s Note and Mitsubishi Motors Corp.'s Mirage, the association said.

Sales of trucks dropped 2.8 percent to 29,481 units, while sales of buses dipped 16.3 percent to 731 units, said the association.

Meanwhile, sales of minivehicles, which were not included in the auto sales figures, with engines no larger than 660 cc, gained 4.6 percent to 149,968 units, marking the 14th consecutive monthly increase, according to the separate Japan Mini Vehicles Association.

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