Japan 02/03 vehicle sales seen up 0.1% at 5.86 mln

TOKYO, March 20 Reuters reported that Japan's industry-wide vehicle demand for the next business year starting in April is expected to edge up 0.1 percent to 5.86 million units, an industry association said on Wednesday.

The Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association said it expected sales of ordinary passenger vehicles to edge up 0.4 percent to 4.03 million units.

Sales of 660cc minivehicles were seen slipping 0.5 percent to 1.83 million vehicles.

Recent vehicle sales have mirrored a grim economy as Japan's recession bites deeper and the jobless rate remains high. Sales in February fell 3.6 percent from a year earlier.