Honda repeats goal to lift Japan sales 13%

Honda Motor Co on Friday repeated its target to increase its sales in Japan by 13 percent to 655,000 vehicles, thanks to brisk sales of its fuel-efficient models.

"At the beginning of the year, we were targeting about 600,000 units with our dealers," said Hiroshi Kobayashi, head of the No.2 Japanese automaker's domestic operations.

"But sales have been robust since April, and we're now aiming for 655,000 units," he told a news conference to unveil the remodelled Step Wgn minivan.

Honda has enjoyed robust sales of the Insight hybrid, Fit subcompact and Freed compact minivan in Japan thanks to the government's tax incentives to purchase less-polluting cars.

Kobayashi said he hoped the new Step Wgn would further lift domestic sales, adding Honda was targeting monthly sales of 6,000 units for the model.