Japan's domestic sales of new automobiles plunged 32.4 percent in February from a year earlier to 218,212 units amid the deepening global economic crisis, according to an industry association on Monday.

It was the largest drop since May 1974 and the seventh consecutive monthly decline in domestic sales of cars, buses and trucks, excluding minivehicles, according to the Japan Automobile Dealers Association.

Meanwhile, the Japan Mini Vehicles Association said the sales of minivehicles fell 9.8 percent in February from a year earlier to 164,370 units, the fourth consecutive monthly decline.

(Xinhua News Agency March 2, 2009)