Tokyo : Japan’s domestic sales of new vehicles plummeted to 3,212,342 units in 2008, the lowest level since 1974, as spending was restricted by worsening economic conditions amid global financial meltdown, official said on Monday.
The sales have been on decrease for five years in a row, down by 6.5 per cent in 2008 on a year-on-year basis, the Japan Automobile Dealers Association said.
Japan Export Vehicle Inspection Center Co Ltd (JEVIC) is pleased to announce used vehicle inspection services for second hand motor vehicles have been extended to also include vehicles originating in Singapore, South Africa and United Kingdom for Kenya effective 15th December 2008.
All used motor vehicles being exported from Dubai, Japan, Singapore, South Africa and United Kingdom are subject to inspection in accordance with KS 15:15: 2000: Kenya Standard code of practice for inspection of Road Vehicles. The notable requirements of this standard are: a) All imported vehicles shall be Right Hand Drive b) All used or second hand motor vehicles shall be less than eight (8) years old from the year of first registration. The difference between the date of first registration and the date of manufacture should not be more than 1 year. c) All used or second hand motor vehicles shall be accompanied with a Certificate of Roadworthiness issued by the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) authorized inspection agent, JEVIC.
ANNOUNCEMENTS AND GENERAL INFORMATION JAPAN AND DUBAI - Booking procedures, inspection fees, issuance of certificates and general announcement, please visit: www.jevic.co.jp
China’s second largest car maker will start exporting its cheap vehicles to the Philippines in near future, according to recent media reports on the Internet.
Government of Philippines is not allowing import and sale of second-hand imported cars, mostly coming from Japan.
Japanese companies operating in Dubai are preparing to set up a chamber of commerce and industry to promote the exchange of information, according to recent media reports from Dubai.
The first such Japanese chamber of commerce in the Middle East will begin operating after will begin operating after getting approval from the local authority. The chamber is expected to have 100 member companies in the first year.
Parliament of Mongolia has proposed to double the tax on imported used cars.
The move is seen as aimed at reducing the burden on the roads of Mongolia.
The tax paid on imported used cars is presently $1,000 and up, depending on the age of the car and the size of its engine. The proposed increase would see drivers paying $ 2,000 import duty on a small used car. During the first half of 2008, Mongolia imported over 14,000 Ja0panese used cars.
Mongolia also imports third-hand cars from Russia, Chile, UAE and New Zealand which were imported from Japan as second hand.
Nissan said recently it is recalling more than 200,000 vehicles in America and some other countries to fix a sensor system that could affect the front air bag in the car’s passenger side which the company discovered during internal testing.
Most of the recalled vehicles are America & others are in Mexico, Canada & Puerto Rico.
Japanese automakers operating in Britain have announced production cuts due to the slowing European economy, but Toyota, Nissan and Honda have so far announced no workforce reductions.
Carmakers from other countries have also cut back in Britain in recent months, but given the size of their footprint, the state of the Japanese producers is particularly important for the economy.
Nissan said the step is being taken “in order to manage volume, reduce existing inventory & prevent oversupply to a weakening market.”
TOKYO - Toyota lowered its global sales target for 2009 by 700,000 vehicles to 9.7 million Thursday, showing that even one of the world’s most durable automakers is being hurt by rising material costs, a slowing U.S. market and soaring gas prices.
Toyota Motor Corp had previously set a 2009 global sales goal of 10.4 million vehicles. The lower target would still be a 2% increase from the company’s 2008 sales goal of 9.5 million. But even that figure was reduced last month from an initial 9.85 million units.
Toyota has been on such a potent growth track in recent years it is getting closer to ending General Motors Corp.’s 77-year run as the world’s top automaker by sale
A team of engineers from UK is looking to set the new land speed record and break the 1,000 mph barrier in the process within next 4 years. The Bloodhound Super Sonic Car will be driven by Andy Green at a top speed of 1,050mph.
Bloodhound will use jet, rocket and piston power to propel its 12.8 meter, 6,400 kg body to 1,050 mph in just 40 seconds.
The project is lead by Richard Noble who was in-charge of same project 11 years ago.
