Japan’s Automobile Ownership in 2022

Looking at data by vehicle type, trucks increased by 0.2% to 5,938,350 units, mini vehicles went up by 0.4% to 31,148,992 units, while passenger cars decreased by 0.4% to 39,017,038 units. The ratio of mini vehicles to total ownership rose by 0.2 percentage points to 39.9%.

Looking at mini vehicles by application, the growth rate for both mini passenger cars and mini trucks was higher for commercial use than for private use. The growth rate of mini passenger cars for business use was 6.2% (0.5% for private use), and the growth rate of mini trucks for business use was 4.6% (0.02%). Japan’s “Mini Truck Transportation Business Act” has been revised starting from October 2022. Mini passenger cars can now be used for light freight transportation business, which is expected to expand the ownership of mini vehicles.

As for 2023, the demand for replacement is expected to remain high as the aging of owned vehicles gradually progresses, and the number of vehicles owned is expected to recover as production normalizes.