Japan November auto sales plunge

TOKYO, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Japan's November domestic auto sales, hit by the recession, fell 27.3 percent to 215,783 units from year-ago levels, the industry group said Monday.

It was the fourth consecutive month of decline and the lowest for any November in 39 years, the Japan Automobile Dealers Association said.

November sales of new passenger cars fell 27.9 percent to 186,554 units and those of trucks were off 23.8 percent to 28,338 units.

Sales of buses were up slightly to 891 units, for a total of 215,783, Kyodo news service reported.