Supercar registration numbers also reflect some orders that were placed a while ago, said Ken Miyao, an analyst at automobile research company Carnorama. While prices will rise due to inflation and the weaker yen, “the number of people who want to buy is definitely increasing, and demand for supercars won’t fall,” he said.

Income for the wealthy has been on the rise despite a slowdown in economic activity, according to Tokyo Shoko Research. The number of company executives with compensation of more than ¥100 million rose 22% to 663 people during the fiscal year through March, according to the firm.

The availability of supercars will probably continue to be limited because of the ongoing chip shortage in the global auto industry, helping to support used-car prices.

“It is better to invest in ultra-luxury cars for their resale value rather than holding cash,” Miyao said.