Japanese Exports to USA
The most recent available data from JAMA (the automotive trade association in Japan, which includes representation of motorcycle manufacturers among its membership) shows exports from the 'Big Four' Japanese manufacturers' factories in Japan to the US down by -38.55% in June at a mere 1,645 units.
For the YTD, Japanese made motorcycle exports to dealers in USA are down by -39.10% at 18,126 units for the first six months of 2020. Total Japanese made PTW exports to USA were -61.77% in June (3,062 units) and -39.45% YTD (28,557 units).
In Europe motorcycle imports from Japan were -49.22% in June (3,713 units) and are -12.71% YTD (76,430 units), having had a strong start to the year. Over 65,000 Japanese made motorcycles went into Europe in Q1 before the pandemic struck, which was considerably up on the year ago quarter and boded well for European Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki and Suzuki dealers. Annual worldwide Japanese made motorcycle and moped exports (all PTW) fell off a cliff in 2009 to 583,879 from over 1 million in 2008, having peaked at 1,641 million units in 2000. They have continued to decline most years since then; most recently they were 463,123 units in 2017; 456,758 in 2018, and 386,379 in 2019.