Used vehicles exports in 2009 totaled 675,858 units, down 49%, the largest ever range, from a year earlier, according to the Ministry of Finance Customehouse statistics.
Global economic crisis and lifted import tariff of Russia caused the downturn in the uased car export business.
The range of year-on-year decline, however, is gradually narrowing since October 2009.
In December 2009, exports totaled 69,001 units, down 11% on the yera. It also marked the 14th straight month of decline.
Twenty of the top 25 countries showed year-on-year increases for December.
Reduced volume from the previous year totaled 19,094 vehicles for December, while vehicles bound for Russia dropped by 37,155 units year-on year. Exports to destinations other than Russia, thus, are on track for the recovery.
In December, New Zealand (up 269%) and Bangladesh (up 45%) showed significant ups.
United Arab Emirates retained the No. 1 position of the top 25 list with 8,638 units, up 23%. Chile, which has long been sluggish, became the second largest market with 6,402 units, up 7%. Third ranked South Africa (5,774) also marked an 80% increase.
Exports to Russia fell by 86% to 5,762 vehicles.
Remarkable increases were found in exports to Mauritius (up 483%), the Philippines (up 138%), Malaysia (up 128%), Afghanistan (up 187%), Georgia (up 104%), and UK (up168%).
In contrast, exports to Uganda (down 35%), Mozambique (off 20%), Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Singapore, and Kyrgyz were stagnant.
The avearge FOB price of used vehicles shipped in December was 428,752 yen. It climbed to over 1 million yen for vehicles shipped to Malaysia, Hong Kong and Thailand becaused they were mostly new cars equiped dealer options at Japan side.
Australia, Pakistan, Mauritius and Bangladesh also showed higher FOB prices.