Japan's largest used-car auction operator sold vehicles faster than sellers could list them in the three months to June 2026. Buyers closed 619,002 deals at USS Group auctions, up 8.4% from 571,099 a year earlier, while sellers consigned 950,380 vehicles, a smaller 4.7% increase.
That gap between supply growth and demand growth pushed the group's contract rate, the share of listed vehicles that actually sell, to 65.1% from 62.9% in the same quarter last year.
Tokyo, USS's largest venue, drove much of the gain: consigned vehicles rose 7.3% to 237,919 and sold vehicles rose 11.7% to 159,153, lifting the venue's contract rate to 66.9% from 64.3%. Kyushu ran hotter still, with sold vehicles up 16.5% to 56,315 against a 15.8% rise in listings, and a 72.7% contract rate.
Not every venue moved the same way. Osaka's contract rate slipped to 54.1% from 54.2% as both consigned and sold volumes edged down roughly half a percentage point, the only large venue where activity contracted rather than grew.
| Venue | Consigned (YoY) | Sold (YoY) | Contract Rate | Prior-Year Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tokyo | 237,919 (+7.3%) | 159,153 (+11.7%) | 66.9% | 64.3% |
| Kyushu | 77,515 (+15.8%) | 56,315 (+16.5%) | 72.7% | 72.2% |
| Osaka | 59,004 (-0.5%) | 31,926 (-0.6%) | 54.1% | 54.2% |
| Group Total | 950,380 (+4.7%) | 619,002 (+8.4%) | 65.1% | 62.9% |
USS held 209 auction sessions in the quarter, down from 216 a year earlier after merging its Nagoya and Hokuriku venues into one joint session; adjusted for that change, the prior-year session count was also 216. The flash report gives volumes and rates only, with no yen-denominated sales figures disclosed.