Nissan confirms Oppama plant will stop production by March 2028
CEO Ivan Espinosa has announced sweeping plans aimed at turning around the embattled carmaker — Japan's third-largest — including slashing production capacity to 2.5-million vehicles from 3.5-million and manufacturing sites to 10 from 17.
Reuters reported last week Nissan was in talks to allow Taiwan's Foxconn to use the Oppama factory, in the port city of Yokosuka, south of Tokyo, to produce electric vehicle (EVs) and avert a closure.
'Nissan made a tough but necessary decision,' Espinosa said. 'It wasn't easy — for me or for the company — but I believe it's a vital step towards overcoming our challenges and building a sustainable future.'
Nissan said it would explore 'a wide range of options' for the future use of the Oppama plant. Costs related to the transfer of production to Nissan Motor Kyushu will be disclosed with first-quarter financial results, it said.
When the Oppama factory opened in 1961, it was one of Japan's first large-scale car factories and a symbol of Nissan's — and Japan's — global ambitions. Long referred to as Nissan's 'mother factory', it employs 3,900 workers and has produced more than 17.8-million vehicles to date.
Other facilities and functions in the district such as the Nissan Research Centre and a crash-test facility, will be unaffected, Nissan said.
Battered by declining sales in the US and China, Nissan faces a mountain of debt repayment and mounting losses.
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Nissan confirms Oppama plant will stop production by March 2028
Nissan said on Tuesday it will stop producing vehicles at its Oppama plant in Japan by March 2028 and transfer operations to its factory in the southern prefecture of Fukuoka as part of a global restructuring plan to reduce capacity. CEO Ivan Espinosa has announced sweeping plans aimed at turning around the embattled carmaker — Japan's third-largest — including slashing production capacity to 2.5-million vehicles from 3.5-million and manufacturing sites to 10 from 17. Reuters reported last week Nissan was in talks to allow Taiwan's Foxconn to use the Oppama factory, in the port city of Yokosuka, south of Tokyo, to produce electric vehicle (EVs) and avert a closure. 'Nissan made a tough but necessary decision,' Espinosa said. 'It wasn't easy — for me or for the company — but I believe it's a vital step towards overcoming our challenges and building a sustainable future.' Nissan said it would explore 'a wide range of options' for the future use of the Oppama plant. Costs related to the transfer of production to Nissan Motor Kyushu will be disclosed with first-quarter financial results, it said. When the Oppama factory opened in 1961, it was one of Japan's first large-scale car factories and a symbol of Nissan's — and Japan's — global ambitions. Long referred to as Nissan's 'mother factory', it employs 3,900 workers and has produced more than 17.8-million vehicles to date. Other facilities and functions in the district such as the Nissan Research Centre and a crash-test facility, will be unaffected, Nissan said. Battered by declining sales in the US and China, Nissan faces a mountain of debt repayment and mounting losses.
