Eric Takabayashi wrote:

> Ken Yasumoto-Nicolson wrote:
>
> > On Sat, 10 Jan 2004 22:57:58 +0900, Eric Takabayashi
> > <etakajp@yahoo.co.jp> wrote:
> >
> > >But we are talking about the Japanese. Speaking of cars, foreign cars
> > >account for only about one percent of sales in Japan,
> >
> > Do they?
> >
> > http://www.jama.org/library/studies051398.htm
> >
> > Has it dropped from the 9.6% reported here in 1998?
>
> Yes.

Because of the downturn in the economy.

> One percent could have been referring to only US maker imports.
>
> http://www.mofa.go.jp/region/n-america/us/economy/date/22_1.html
>
> But I've read more current data last year which showed how low the total
> market share of imported cars (including those manufactured by Japanese
> makers) is.

Oh, sorry, here's the trick of statistics:

(Source: Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association,
Japan Automobile Importers Association)

Note: EXCLUDING trucks and passenger cars with engine displacement of under
660cc.

So yes, foreign makers, especially US automakers have a much lower market
share than data suggest, such as a claim of 10.2% for all foreign makes in
1995. It is true that the US does not manufacture minis, but they do
manufacture trucks and large vehicles not included in these data.

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