Nissan mulling tie-up with Taiwanese firm to build EVs
The collaboration includes producing Hon Hai's EVs at Nissan's Oppama plant in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture. This plant is believed to have been targeted for closure as part of Nissan's restructuring efforts.
If an agreement is realized, Nissan could keep the Oppama plant operating and help maintain employment.
Hon Hai is a global leader in contract manufacturing for electronic devices such as Apple's iPhone and gaming consoles. Recently, the company has actively expanded into the EV business and has announced its entry into the Japanese market.
Unlike traditional automakers, Hon Hai designs and manufactures its standard EV models and supplies them under other company's brands.
For Nissan, producing Hon Hai's EVs could boost the low utilization rate of the Oppama plant and enable the company to continue operating the facility.
The Oppama plant began operations in 1961. Its annual production capacity is 240,000 units and employs about 3,900 workers as of late October 2024. It was once one of Nissan's main factories but now only produces the automaker's Note and Note Aura compact vehicles.
In the fiscal year ending March 2025, Nissan announced a net loss of 670.8 billion yen ($4.6 billion), the third worst in company history.
On the same day, Nissan also announced plans to lay off 20,000 employees worldwide and close seven factories.
According to sources, Nissan has been considering closing the Oppama plant in particular, which has low operational rates, as well as its subsidiary Nissan Shatai Co.'s Shonan Plant in Hiratsuka, Kanagawa Prefecture.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yomiuri Shimbun
2 hours ago
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Possible Trade Restrictions May Increase Eel Price in Japan; Availability of Summer Delicacy Could Decline
The European Union has proposed making all 19 eel species subject to trade regulations under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). If the proposal is approved at an international conference scheduled to start in November, the supply of imported eels, which lately have been available at relatively affordable prices, could be affected. Affordable eels from Asia 'When I want to treat myself a little, eel is the way to go,' said a company employee, 35, from Koto Ward, Tokyo, as he munched on eel at major chain Naruse's Unagi Sengakuji Store in Tokyo's Minato Ward on July 18. The temperature in Tokyo that day exceeded 30 C, and the restaurant was packed with customers trying to beat the summer heat at lunchtime. Prices of eel bowls served at the store start at ¥1,600. The low price is achieved by importing grilled Japanese and American eel farmed elsewhere in Asia. Since opening in 2022, Naruse's Unagi has grown rapidly, expanding to about 400 stores. However, Masahiro Yamamoto, president of Franchise Business Incubation, Inc., the operator of Naruse's Unagi, said, 'We have endured rising rice prices and kept our prices steady, but this time we may have no choice but to pass on the costs.' Processed eel also targeted The cause of his headache is a proposal made last month by the EU to the CITES Secretariat. European eel — which is classified as critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) Red List — has already been subject to trade restrictions, and the latest EU proposal calls for trade restrictions on the remaining 18 species, including Japanese eel, which is widely consumed in Japan. The main reasons cited for the proposal were the declining number of Japanese eels and illegal trade of European eels claimed to be other species with a similar appearance. If more than two-thirds of countries approve the proposal at an international conference starting in late November, countries that export the species will be required to issue permits for each export, including processed products such as kabayaki grilled eel, in principle. According to the Fisheries Agency, 60,941 tons of eel was distributed domestically last year. Of this, only 52 tons were from domestically produced wild eels, while 44,730 tons, or 70% of the total, were imported primarily from aquaculture operations. A senior official from the agency expressed concerns that, if the EU's proposal is adopted, 'Additional procedural burdens and rising costs could lead to price hikes or make exporters more cautious, potentially reducing domestic distribution volumes.' Tough negotiations On April 16, the EU sent a draft proposal, about 80 pages long, to the Japanese government. The proposal was aimed at gathering opinions from member countries for submission to the CITES Secretariat. Feeling a sense of crisis, the agency had its staff work during the Golden Week holidays to compile a rebuttal, arguing that 'Japanese eel resources are abundant, and the proposal lacks scientific basis,' and sent it to the EU. On June 19 and 20, Japan held talks with China, South Korea and Taiwan, which farm eels for export to Japan, and agreed to work together to persuade other member countries to reject the proposal. However, the outlook is not bright. Among the 184 member countries and regions, only a few have a culture of eating eel. Many of the negotiators representing their countries are environmental officials rather than fisheries officials, and proposals based on resource protection tend to be easily approved. 'We expect tough negotiations, but we have no choice but to do our best to persuade other countries in order to protect Japan's food culture,' an agency official said.
Yomiuri Shimbun
2 hours ago
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Govt to Support Domestic Mass Production of Next-Generation Solar Cells; Aims for 1GW Annual Production Capacity by '30
The Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry plans to promote the domestic mass production of next-generation perovskite solar cells. Using a government fund, the ministry plans to select companies to support within this fiscal year with the aim of achieving an annual production capacity of about 1 gigawatt, which is sufficient to meet the energy needs of about 300,000 government aims to further popularize the adoption of solar power generation by also strengthening support for tandem solar panels, which utilize both silicon and perovskite cells. These panels are expected to be capable of achieving power generation efficiency of 1.5 times to 2 times greater than conventional solar panels. Tandem solar panels can also easily replace conventional solar panels as they can use the same mounts and wiring. Using the Green Innovation Fund, aimed at promoting decarbonization technologies, the ministry will provide financial support for the development and demonstration of mass production technologies. Companies eligible for support will be required to reduce power generation costs to 12 yen or less per kilowatt-hour, which is about 10% less than for conventional solar panels, and achieve a lifespan of about 20 years. As key players for domestic production, the ministry envisages such companies as Kaneka Corp. — a chemical manufacturer leading the development of tandem cells — and Choshu Industry Co. — which holds about a 20% share of the domestic market for solar cells for residential use. As domestic companies account for as much as about 70% of the residential solar cell market, the ministry considers this an area with potential for expansion. In the solar cell sector, Chinese manufacturers are leading the market, with multiple companies having already begun mass production of tandem cells, a stage no Japanese company has yet reached. Choshu Industry plans to set up a test line at its main factory by the end of this year, aiming to start mass production as soon as possible. In the development of perovskite solar cells, Sekisui Chemical Co. is leading the market with a thin and lightweight film type, while Panasonic Corp. is pioneering a glass type that can be used as a building material.
4 hours ago
INTERVIEW: PayPay Bank to Expand Small-Lot Corporate Loans
News from Japan Economy Jul 28, 2025 12:18 (JST) Tokyo, July 28 (Jiji Press)--PayPay Bank President Tomohito Takusari has indicated that the Japanese online bank aims to develop its corporate operations into a core business area on par with its services for individual customers. The bank, which belongs to the LY Corp. group, the operator of the Line messaging app and the Yahoo internet portal, plans to expand small-lot loans to member stores of the group's PayPay settlement service and to small businesses and sole proprietors operating outlets on the Yahoo! Japan Shopping e-commerce website, according to Takusari. "We hope to provide our services by leveraging our point of contact close to the foundations of (our customers') operations," he said in an interview with Jiji Press. PayPay Bank currently offers a service in which corporations can take on loans of up to 10 million yen without having to visit branches of the lender. While partner consumer finance company Aiful Corp. is responsible for loan guarantee, PayPay Bank is feeding data to a loan screening system developed by the bank using machine learning. "We aim to improve our screening ability so that we can provide loans without guarantees," Takusari said. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
