Nissan Nears Major Manufacturing Makeover
Nissan Motor Company is reportedly considering closing two assembly plants in Japan along with factories in Mexico, India, Argentina, and South Africa, according to sources cited by Reuters.
The potential closures in Japan include the historic Oppama plant—where Nissan began production in 1961—and the Shonan plant, which is operated by Nissan Shatai and is 50% owned by Nissan. If executed, only three assembly facilities would remain operational in Japan.
Internationally, Nissan aims to reduce its global production footprint from 17 factories to 10. This downsizing could result in a workforce reduction of up to 15%.
The restructuring is being led by Nissan’s new CEO, Iván Espinosa, and is considered more aggressive than previous strategies under former leadership. However, the company has stated that the closures remain “speculative” and are not yet officially confirmed.
In the fiscal year 2024, Nissan sold 3.3 million vehicles—a sharp 42% drop compared to 2017 levels.
