Uphill climb for Japanese brands

Share continues to slip in world's most competitive auto market

The New Year is around the corner but Japanese automakers are probably in no mood for celebration after their lackluster 2014 performance in the Chinese market.

Nissan's sales in China increased just 1.7 percent year-on-year in the first 11 months, while Honda slipped 1.4 percent in the same period, according to Japan's Kyodo News.