AFP, TOKYOYoko Kojima loves zipping around Tokyo in her Daihatsu Tanto with its tiny wheels and pint-sized engine, but Japan’s beloved “kei cars” might have a rocky road ahead despite a legion of loyal fans. 3 vehicle market, drove off a cliff after peaking at 2.27 million units in 2014. “I don’t see a bright future for kei cars,” IHS Markit analyst Yoshiaki Kawano said, adding that a consumption tax rise planned for 2019 could also dent kei sales. “It’s an aging society and rural areas are losing residents — where kei cars are most popular,” he said. “They won’t disappear from the landscape,” said Asako Hoshino, a vice president at Nissan Motor Co who oversees the company’s domestic vehicle market.

Source: Taipei Times September 03, 2017 15:56 UTC