Japanese cars are continuing to suffer in China’s auto market amid lingering hostility between the two Asian engines following Japan’s purchase of the Diaoyu Islands in early September.

In October, sales of Japanese passenger cars declined further by 38.22 percent from the previous month, to 98,900 vehicles in China, the first time falling below 100,000 units since 2009, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.

The data shows Japan-branded cars accounting for 7.61 percent of China’s total passenger car sales in the country, a further decline for September’s 13 percent share.

Overall, passenger car sales rose 6.4 percent year-on-year to 1.3 million units last month, the association said.

Japanese carmaker Toyota saw unit sales in China down 44 percent year-on-year in October, and Nissan’s sales fell 41 percent.

European carmakers are among the top beneficiaries of the anti-Japan protest. Market share of German sedans rose to 27 percent in October in an upward trend after holding a 24 percent share in September.