Japanese Automakers Face Uphill Battle in China

LAST year the old Chinese saying "bad luck comes in pairs" was proven true by Japan’s automakers. Having just recovered from the massive earthquake and ensuing tsunami that devastated lives and industry in March 2011, the country’s car manufacturers bore the brunt of the spontaneous boycotts of Japanese goods by Chinese consumers amid escalating tensions over the Diaoyu Islands. The effects of the boycott were stark. Starting in September last