JAPANESE CAR DEALERS AND BOYCOTT PATTERNS

[Anchor Lead]

Some Japanese car dealers in Korea are attracting customers by claiming buyers can obtain license plates with two-digit prefix numbers, not the new three-digit ones introduced in September. The move is said to be aimed at making newly purchased Japanese cars look like they were bought before a boycott of Japanese products began in Korea.

[Pkg]

At a Japanese cardealer a salesman is trying to ease a customer's concerns about having a three-digit number plate amid the ongoing boycott of Japanese products.

[Soundbite] (JAPANESE CAR SALESMAN(VOICE MODIFIED)) : "I assure that you can obtain a plate with two-digit prefix numbers if you want. Documents can be written to switch long plates with shorter ones."

A salesman at another dealership said all Japanese car dealers are employing the same tactic.

[Soundbite] (JAPANESE CAR SALESMAN(VOICE MODIFIED)) : "Most Japanese car companies are preparing for the measure."

This is because license plates with three-digits in the front - a move introduced in September - show that the Japanese cars were purchased after the boycott began. In order to obtain number plates, automobile manufacturing certificates issued by carmakers must be submitted to local governments. The tactic is to record the size of shorter plates on the submitted certificates, since they still have two-digit prefix numbers. The two-digit license plates are switched into longer ones at vehicle inspection stations. Local governments issue license plates only based on records written on automobile manufacturing certificates. With massive marketing campaigns, like this, the sales of Japanese cars recovered a bit last month after plunging amid the boycott.