Japanese Automakers Struggle in China

BEIJING, Jan 10 (News On Japan) - Japanese automakers reported last year’s new car sales in China, revealing a year-on-year decline across all three major manufacturers. In response, they are working to restructure operations and strengthen their market strategies.

New car sales in China for 2024 stood at 1.776 million units for Toyota, 852,269 units for Honda, and 696,631 units for Nissan, each posting a drop compared to the previous year.

The Chinese market has witnessed rapid growth in sales of electric vehicles (EVs) and other "new energy vehicles" (NEVs), driven by government initiatives to promote clean energy transportation. Local EV manufacturers, such as BYD, have seen significant increases in their sales volumes.

While foreign automakers, including those from Japan, continue to face challenges, Honda launched two new EV-dedicated factories last year and is advancing production restructuring efforts to strengthen both manufacturing and sales.

Meanwhile, in Dandong, Liaoning Province—where winter temperatures can drop below minus 10 degrees Celsius—gasoline-powered vehicles, including Japanese models, remain a common sight on the roads.

Toyota reported that electric-powered vehicles accounted for 48.4% of its total sales last year, a 12.3-point increase from the previous year. However, most of these were hybrid vehicles powered by both gasoline and electricity.

According to industry insiders, demand varies across different regions in China. "In areas with inadequate charging infrastructure or where battery performance declines in cold weather, customers prefer gasoline or hybrid vehicles," they explained.

Japanese automakers are striving to respond to the growing demand for new energy vehicles while addressing diverse regional needs, aiming for a rebound in the competitive Chinese market.

Source: ANN

Typhoon No. 15 Threatens Tohoku Landfall

Typhoon No. 15, currently over waters east of Japan, could approach or make landfall along the Pacific coast of the Tohoku region on the afternoon of August 11 after changing course from northwestward to westward, bringing a risk of strong coastal winds and widespread heavy rain.

Typhoon No. 13 Moves West but Severe Weather Lingers in Okinawa

Typhoon No. 13 was moving slowly west on the night of August 8 and was expected to approach the Chinese mainland by the night of August 9, but Okinawa, Amami and parts of southern Kyushu remained at risk from strong winds, intermittent heavy rain and dangerous seas even as the storm's center moved farther away.

Flights Still Disrupted After Typhoon No. 13 Hits Okinawa

Transport services were gradually returning to normal on August 9 after Typhoon No. 13 caused widespread cancellations and shutdowns across Okinawa, although air travel remained disrupted as airlines worked to restore schedules and accommodate passengers stranded during the opening days of Japan's busy Obon holiday period.

Akihabara Maids Join Traditional Water-Sprinkling Event

Maids from Akihabara maid cafes joined shrine maidens from Kanda Myojin and members of the public on August 8 to sprinkle water across the shrine grounds in Tokyo, calling out "Cool down!" as they took part in a summer tradition aimed at easing the midsummer heat.

Instant Houses Installed in Kumamoto Disaster Area

Requests for rapidly constructed "instant houses" are growing across areas of Kumamoto Prefecture devastated by the recent earthquake, providing air-conditioned temporary shelter for residents who have been sleeping in tents and vehicles beside their damaged homes.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Business NEWS

Japanese Companies Report Strong Profits as AI, Energy and Consumer Demand Drive Earnings

Japanese companies delivered a wave of strong earnings on August 7, with Fujikura, Recruit Holdings, INPEX and several other major groups raising forecasts as artificial intelligence investment, higher resource prices and resilient consumer demand lifted profits.

Nikkei Slips as Chip Selling Offsets Broader Market Strength

Tokyo stocks ended slightly lower on August 7, with the Nikkei 225 closing at 65,606.71, down 76.55 points, or 0.12%, as selling in chip-related and artificial intelligence-linked shares outweighed solid buying in the broader market and a late recovery led by Fujikura.

Nippon Steel Targets High-Performance Steel

Nippon Steel has completed a new production line at its Nagoya Works after investing about 300 billion yen, as Japan's largest steelmaker seeks to expand production of high-performance steel products primarily for automakers.

Hokkaido Minimum Wage Sets New High

Hokkaido's minimum wage is expected to rise by 56 yen to a record 1,131 yen per hour in October, entering the 1,100-yen range for the first time, but workers and business owners are concerned that tax and social insurance thresholds could lead employees to limit their hours.

Japan Summer Bonuses Reach Record 1.04 Million Yen

The average summer bonus paid by major Japanese companies rose above 1 million yen for the first time, reaching a record 1,042,537 yen as strong corporate earnings and substantial wage increases lifted employee compensation.

Japan Conducted Record 6.28 Trillion Yen Currency Intervention on April 30

Japan's government and the Bank of Japan conducted a record 6.2787 trillion yen yen-buying, dollar-selling intervention on April 30, the Finance Ministry said on August 7.

Nikkei Falls as AI Heavyweights Drag Market Lower

Tokyo stocks diverged on August 6, with the Nikkei 225 closing at 65,683.26, down 617.18 points, or 0.93%, as selling in artificial intelligence and semiconductor-related heavyweights outweighed broad gains across the wider market.

Thorough Analysis of BOJ Outlook Report: Is a September Rate Hike Possible?

The Bank of Japan's latest economic outlook has strengthened expectations that another interest rate increase could come as early as September after the central bank kept its policy rate at around 1.0% at its July meeting following a June hike, while placing greater emphasis on the risk that inflation will rise above its 2% target.

< 2 3 4 5 >