::April, car sales in Japan Down 51%>>

Go Finance Reporting in TOKYO - Japan's domestic vehicle sales in April fell 51 percent, due to lack of supplies after the earthquake and tsunami on 11 March. Last month sales of sedan type vehicles, trucks, and buses only 108,824 units.

Automotive Dealers Association of Japan (Jada) said the decline due to a number of dealers supply car stalled, because the producers of the production would halt. According to Jada, the decline in sales this time is much higher than the 37 percent decline in March month, where there was a great disaster.

Based on data from Jada, the decline in April sales also is the largest since the association began regular sales record in 1968. The biggest decline in car sales in Japan also have occurred in May 1974, at which time the oil crisis. According to AFP, the current motor vehicle factories in Japan have been re-production. However, Jada still cautious anticipation of weak sales in May. The reason, analysts expect the shortage of supply of spare parts will still be held in the months ahead.

"The factory began to move again, but they are not yet fully operational. The possibility we will continue to feel the impact (of the disaster), "a spokesman said Jada was quoted as saying by Reuters.

Based on the manufacturer, Toyota Motor Corp. sales fell 68.7 percent to 35,557 units in April, Nissan Motor also recorded 37.2 percent sales decline to 17,413 units. Meanwhile, Honda has decreased by 48.5 percent to only 18,923 units. Last week, Japanese government data released industrial production decline of 15.3 percent for March. It was the sharpest decline since 1953 as the collapse of most of the factories owned by Japanese producers.

In addition, in the same month consumer sentiment also fell, in which Japanese household spending declined 8.5 percent in March compared to the previous year, marking the biggest decline since 1964. Although the sale of water and food surged as Japan's population accumulate inventories to their needs after the earthquake and Fukushima Daiichi nuclear crisis, a number of consumers still hold spending to spending items not considered essential.

Meanwhile in Paris, France Automotive Manufacturers Association (CCFA) yesterday stating the level of vehicle sales in April fell 11 percent compared to same period 2010. The fall in sales compared to last year due in April 2011, consumers no longer get purchase incentives like a year ago.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the French vehicle manufacturers expect the market will lose approximately eight percent growth, unlike the previous year. Overall, the market will not even predicted to soon reach the level before the crisis of 2008 and 2009, although a number of discounts applied. "If you take a benchmark on the basis of working days in April 2010, the annual sales last month fell 6.8 percent," said the CCFA.

Data April, far worse than the previous month increase that reached 6.1 percent. The French manufacturer that declined was the Renault Group sales by 19 percent. Fortunately, the decline was not followed by their units in Romania the Dacia, whose sales actually rose 6.6 percent. The decrease in sales was also experienced rival Renault, PSA Peugeot-Citroen, by 21 percent annually. The details, the brand Peugeot Citroen fell 22 percent and 20 percent weaker. (GoFinance)