At least two production sites in Japan may cease operations, including the famous plant in Oppama, which has been operating since 1961. It was at this enterprise that the first Nissan Leaf rolled off the line in 2010 — an electric car that became a symbol of the brand's environmental strategy. The plant is designed to produce approximately 240 thousand cars annually, and nearly four thousand people work there.
Another facility that may disappear from the production map is the plant in Shonan, which Nissan controls through its structure Nissan Shatai. Commercial vehicles are manufactured there, with an annual production volume of up to 150 thousand cars.
The reduction of capacities in Japan is only one element of the strategy launched by the new head of Nissan, Ivan Espinosa. By 2027, the automaker intends to close seven enterprises in various countries, which will result in the reduction of about 20 thousand workers — that is almost 15% of the company's entire staff.
Such decisive measures are explained not only by pressure in the electric car market. Management notes that Nissan previously set overly optimistic plans for itself: to sell 8 million cars annually. This caused an excess of production capacities, which have now become an unnecessary burden for the company.
The closure of these specific plants has not yet been officially announced. However, according to data from sources, including the authoritative Japanese newspaper Yomiuri, the decision is already at the implementation stage.
