TOKYO (Nikkei)--The Odyssey made by Honda Motor Co. was Japan's top-selling vehicle in June, with some 14,600 of the minivans rolling off dealer lots during the month, according to industry sources. The Odyssey overtook the Vitz subcompact from Toyota Motor Corp., which generated sales of around 14,200.

If official figures are announced in line with the estimates, it would be the first time for a Honda offering to rank first in the domestic market since the Japan Automobile Dealers Association began compiling data on new vehicle sales in January 1968.

Honda in May released a fiscal 2003 target for domestic vehicle sales of 900,000, which compares with the approximately 700,000 it sold in the year ended March 31. Marketing efforts have been stepped up to achieve the goal.

The Odyssey underwent a full makeover in December and has been selling better ever since, despite its relatively high price of around 2.5 million yen. The 15,392 sold in March set a record for the model, and in May it sold just 1,446 fewer than the Vitz, which costs about 1 million yen.

Toyota has dominated the Japanese automobile market for decades, with its Corolla sitting atop the annual sales list for the 31 years through 1999. The Vitz was the top seller for five straight months beginning with January.