
AI-generated summary
As fuel prices continue to soar, Japanese automakers are developing sales strategies centered on fuel-efficient hybrid cars and affordable passenger cars.
[New York Current Affairs] Six Japanese automakers announced on the 1st that the total number of new cars sold in the United States for the January-September period of 2026 was 4,596,858 units, an increase of 1.0% from the same period last year. Three companies, Toyota, Honda, and Nissan, posted positive results. As fuel prices have continued to rise for a long time, sales have increased, mainly of fuel-efficient hybrid vehicles (HVs) and affordable passenger cars.
Nissan to launch HV vehicle in US, mainstay SUV to meet demand
Toyota's sales increased by 0.6% to 1,876,614 units. Sales of HVs, including the mainstay passenger car Camry and sports utility vehicle (SUV) 4Runner, increased. Sales of the SUV "RAV4" have decreased due to model changes, but the HV type is currently selling well.
Honda's HVs also drove growth, with sales increasing by 4.7% to 1,149,261 units. Sales of the passenger car ``Accord'' and SUV ``CR-V'' increased. Nissan's sales of the Frontier pickup truck increased by 0.6% to 716,283 units.
On the other hand, Subaru's sales decreased by 1.5%, Mazda's sales decreased by 2.9%, and Mitsubishi Motors' sales decreased by 6.6%.
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Toyota, Honda, and Nissan's new car sales in the U.S. may continue to grow, centered on hybrid cars.
Possible · Within months

G7 leaders announced in a video conference that they agreed to a coordinated release of 100 million barrels of oil over the next four months through the IEA, starting immediately. A large amount of diesel oil will be released ahead of schedule in an effort to ease the supply strain as prices soar due to the increasingly tense situation in the Middle East. US President Trump posted the agreement on social media and made it clear that there would be no export ban.

At an online summit on the evening of the 2nd, Japan time, the G7 agreed to release a total of 100 million barrels of oil reserves to the market over a four-month period through the IEA. This was in response to the United States' request for Europe to release its diesel fuel stockpiles, and the French presidency emphasized that the measure was meant to protect households and businesses from price shocks. According to the Japanese government, which was attended by the Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs on behalf of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Japan has already released stockpiles in excess of what was agreed in March and has not committed to releasing any new stockpiles. The Trump administration has also reportedly suggested that Germany and France ban the export of US-produced diesel oil, asking them to release their diesel oil stocks.

An investigation by the Board of Audit has found that a total of approximately 91 million yen in costs could have been saved over two years by adjusting delivery times to avoid the more expensive weekends, holidays, and next-day delivery when it comes to procuring flares for use in construction work on the Metropolitan Expressway.

The Hokkaido Human Resources Commission recommended that Governor Naomichi Suzuki increase his monthly salary by 2.9% and his bonus by 0.05 months in fiscal 2026. The aim is to correct the gap with private companies and secure human resources, and if the recommendations are followed, it will be the fifth consecutive increase.

The New York stock market was almost flat on the 1st, as while the high price of crude oil weighed on stocks, there was some buying on the back of a pause in the rise in US long-term interest rates. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 20.51 points to 50,926.56 and the Nasdaq rose 10.54 points to 26,871.60. Meanwhile, in the U.S. bond market, the yield on 10-year government bonds briefly rose to 5.34%, the highest level in 24 years, but has since declined and investor sentiment has improved. NYMEX crude oil futures continued to rise on concerns about the tense situation in the Middle East, with WTI gaining 2.71% to close at $92.87 per barrel.

Pan Pacific International Holdings (PPIH) announced on the 1st that it will acquire the business of Japan's Toys R Us, a major toy retailer that was experiencing financial difficulties. On this day, the company filed for application of the Civil Rehabilitation Law, making it the largest bankruptcy in history for a toy retailer with debts of approximately 13.2 billion yen. PPIH aims to complement Donki's strengths in contact with young people, adults, and visitors to Japan, and Toys R Us' popularity among families, and rebuild the domestic toy market, which is growing due to "adult purchases," including visitors to Japan.