Nissan has announced plans to permanently shut its flagship Oppama plant in Kanagawa Prefecture, with production ceasing by March 2028. The decision will affect 2,400 employees, as the automaker advances a broader cost-cutting and consolidation strategy aimed at restoring long-term financial health.
The Oppama site, operational since 1961, holds historic value for Nissan as the launchpad of its electric vehicle journey with the iconic Leaf. However, faced with declining global demand and rising operational costs, the company is shifting its production to the more efficient Kyushu facility, with ongoing discussions around voluntary employee transfers and reskilling support for impacted workers.
Company leadership has described the move as necessary but sensitive, stressing that affected staff will be offered options including redeployment, skill-building resources, and transitional assistance. Worker unions and local officials are engaging with Nissan to ensure equitable treatment and minimise regional economic disruption, especially in the Yokosuka area where the plant has deep roots.
This development forms part of Nissan’s sweeping restructuring plan to reduce its global manufacturing sites from 17 to 10, cut annual output by one million vehicles, and lower fixed costs. Despite its emotional significance, the closure is positioned as a strategic reset to strengthen Nissan’s global competitiveness while reaffirming its responsibilities to people and communities.
Source – https://www.bwpeople.in/article/nissan-to-shut-japans-oppama-plant-impacting-2400-employees-563637