| Toyota opens mall to boost Japan sales By YURI KAGEYAMA, Associated Press Last updated: 4:12 a.m., Tuesday, March 25, 2008 YOKOHAMA, Japan -- The new sprawling Japanese shopping mall has the usual restaurants and stores, even a fitness gym. But it's the shiny Camry and other Toyota models that take center stage -- not only at the dealers but on display in the walkways. The indoor shopping mall, with 220 stores and restaurants, opening to the public this week, is being developed, built and operated by a relative newcomer to the business -- Toyota Motor Corp. It's the latest attempt by the Japanese automaker to tackle a serious problem in its home Japan market: Young people are rapidly losing interest in cars. Overseas, however, Toyota is doing so well that it has nearly overtaken General Motors Corp. in global vehicle sales. Sales of new autos in Japan for the fiscal year starting next month are forecast to drop to a 27-year-low of 5.3 million vehicles, down 0.6 percent from the previous year, as demand gets battered by soaring gas prices and sluggish wage growth, according to the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association. In Japan, the usual old ways of selling cars like showrooms and TV ads are no longer working. Youngsters are choosing to spend on mobile phones and laptops than on cars, Toyota officials say. |
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