TOKYO— Ailing carmaker Mitsubishi Motors said Tuesday it nearly halved losses in the three months to June but this was largely because it was in so much trouble a year ago but its sales continued on the slide.

Mitsubishi, Japan's only automaker in the red, said its net loss came to 21.65 billion yen (194 million dollars) in the April-June term against the year-earlier loss of 54.69 billion yen.

Recurring losses in the first quarter narrowed to 19.98 billion yen from 39.02 billion yen while sales fell another 12.9 percent to 485.83 billion yen.

Mitsubishi Motors' sales plunged in Japan last year due to a series of vehicle defect cover-up scandals.

Global sales of Mitsubishi Motors-brand vehicles in the quarter dropped by 12,000 units to 326,000, led by lower sales in the United States.

In Japan, sales dropped 1,000 to 48,000 cars in the quarter but in May, sales actually rose for the first time in 17 months.




TOKYO— Ailing carmaker Mitsubishi Motors said Tuesday it nearly halved losses in the three months to June but this was largely because it was in so much trouble a year ago but its sales continued on the slide.

Mitsubishi, Japan's only automaker in the red, said its net loss came to 21.65 billion yen (194 million dollars) in the April-June term against the year-earlier loss of 54.69 billion yen.

Recurring losses in the first quarter narrowed to 19.98 billion yen from 39.02 billion yen while sales fell another 12.9 percent to 485.83 billion yen.

Mitsubishi Motors' sales plunged in Japan last year due to a series of vehicle defect cover-up scandals.

Global sales of Mitsubishi Motors-brand vehicles in the quarter dropped by 12,000 units to 326,000, led by lower sales in the United States.

In Japan, sales dropped 1,000 to 48,000 cars in the quarter but in May, sales actually rose for the first time in 17 months.