Commercial vehicle sales in Japan 2014-2023

In 2023, the sales of commercial vehicles in Japan amounted to approximately 786.36 thousand units, increasing by 4.4 percent compared to the previous year. The automotive industry defines commercial vehicles by their intended function: trucks have large loading spaces separated from the cabin, and buses/coaches offer at least nine passenger seats beside the driver.

Which commercial vehicles sell in Japan?

In Japan, trucks are of higher significance for domestic freight transportation than buses are for domestic public transportation. Accordingly, they sell in much higher numbers. In 2022, unit sales of trucks amounted to roughly 747 thousand and buses under 5.5 thousand. Almost half of the trucks sold were mini-sized. For both trucks and buses, Toyota was one of the best-selling brands.

Commercial vehicles: not to be confused with commercial use vehicles

Automotive manufacturers and Japanese Law employ different senses of ‘commercial’ for vehicles. While the OICA definition centers on the specialized construction and vehicle mass, the Japanese Road Transport Vehicle Law, in contrast, distinguishes commercial business and private use depending on actual usage determined by the vehicle's registration. Hence, commercial use vehicles are all vehicles transporting goods or people against a freight rate or fare, such as public buses. Any vehicle, which is not for commercial use, is in principle for private use. Following this definition, roughly two million vehicles on Japanese roads had a registration for commercial use.