Nissan to close historic factory in Japan and cut 20,000 jobs to reduce costs

English Posted on  —by Carro e motos
Nissan to close historic factory in Japan and cut 20,000 jobs to reduce costs
Nissan to close historic factory in Japan and cut 20,000 jobs to reduce costs (X @NissanJP)

Nissan has confirmed the closure of its historic Oppama factory in Japan as part of a broad global restructuring called “Re:Nissan.”

The plant, operating since 1961 and known for producing icons like the electric Leaf and the Bluebird, will cease operations by March 2028. The decision comes amid the automaker’s plan to reduce the number of factories worldwide from 17 to 10 and cut up to 20,000 jobs, after recording a loss of $4.5 billion in the last fiscal year.

With a capacity of over 17 million vehicles produced throughout its history, Oppama represents a milestone in Nissan’s journey. Currently, the unit is dedicated to producing the Note and Aura models, popular in the Japanese market. Despite the shutdown of the assembly line, the complex will continue operating partially, maintaining active the research center, crash lab, test track, and port terminal. The company is still evaluating the future of the factory site.

The restructuring aims to reduce costs and accelerate the development of new products. To this end, Nissan has relocated about 3,000 engineers, suspended projects planned beyond 2026, and intends to reduce the number of global platforms from 13 to 7. The brand also seeks to standardize components and shorten the time to launch new vehicles.

Upcoming launches include the new Sentra, Kicks, and the brand-new compact SUV Kait, aimed at emerging markets.

Source: Motor1.com | Photo: X @NissanJP | This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team

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