Nissan car sales plunge anew in Japan

TOKYO: Nissan’s passenger car sales nearly halved in Japan last month, data released on Friday showed, following a 55- percent drop the previous month as it struggle with a damaging inspection scandal.

In November, sales of Nissanbrand passenger cars stood at 16,888, down 46.8 percent from a year earlier, Japan Automobile Dealers Association said.

The dramatic fall in Nissanbrand cars compares with a more modest decline of just 5.5 percentage points in overall sales in the Japanese market in November.

Nissan recalled some 1.2 million vehicles after admitting in October that staff without proper authorisation had con- ducted final inspections on some vehicles intended for the domestic market before they were shipped to dealers.

The firm suspended all production destined for the local market following the scandal, but resumed production early last month.

Nissan in November downgraded its annual operating profit forecast, with its chief executive Hiroto Saikawa bowing long and deep in apology for the scandal.

Later he offered to return part of his pay until next March as a gesture of contrition.

Nissan produced 1.015 million year to March, with about 400,000 units sold locally.