Toyota Motor Corporation and its joint ventures in China sold 36,300 cars in the country in February, 45.7 percent less that the sales recorded in February 2012 said the Japanese automaker on Friday.
In January an increase of 23.5 percent was recorded when compared to the same of 2012.
Showrooms in the world’s largest auto market are often closed for much of China’s Lunar New Year holidays that fell in January last year but came in February this year.
Toyota’s January-February combined sales totaled 108,800 units, down 13.3 percent from the same period a year earlier.
Nissan Motor Co Ltd’s January-February sales fell by 20 percent from a year earlier.
Sales of Japanese cars took a severe hit late last year following violent ‘anti-Japan’ protests in September after Japan nationalised two East China Sea islands. China claims the islands as its own territory.
Sales have been recovering but some industry experts predict that the Japanese brands are likely to face headwinds in the world’s biggest car market as long as diplomatic ties remain strained.
Toyota, which operates car ventures in China with FAW Group and Guangzhou Automobile Group Co aims to sell 900,000 cars in the country in 2013, up 7.1 percent from the total sales of 2012.