Nissan plans to keep its annual production capacity in Japan at around 1 million vehicles after shutting down one factory, by reshuffling output among its remaining plants, according to Chinese automotive outlet Gasgoo.
Under the plan, production of the Serena and Elgrand MPVs will move from two plants in Fukuoka prefecture to the Tochigi plant over the next two to three years. The Oppama plant in Kanagawa prefecture will cease operations by the end of fiscal 2027, part of a global restructuring that involves seven vehicle assembly plants worldwide.
Capacity reshuffle
With Oppama closed, Nissan's domestic capacity would fall to about 800,000 vehicles a year. Including vehicles contracted to Mitsubishi Motors, however, Nissan's overall production capability in Japan would remain around 1 million units.
The Tochigi plant will take over production of the Serena and Elgrand MPVs, and will also build the Skyline sports sedan due to launch this winter, along with electric models such as the Leaf. Nissan said the capacity adjustments will not affect employment. Nissan Motor Kyushu in Fukuoka will continue making the X-Trail SUV, known as the Rogue in the US, and will also take over production of the Note compact car and Kicks SUV previously built at Oppama. Nissan Shatai Kyushu will keep producing large vehicles, including the Patrol SUV, which has strong demand in the Middle East.
According to data from MarkLines cited by Gasgoo, the Tochigi plant's capacity utilisation was estimated at 15% in 2025, well below Nissan Motor Kyushu's 61% in the same period. The production shift is expected to raise Tochigi's utilisation. Nissan Shatai Kyushu, meanwhile, is running at 109% capacity utilisation, driven by Patrol export demand, and switched from two shifts to a round-the-clock three-shift system at the end of 2025.
Product family strategy
The move is part of Nissan's recently announced "product family strategy," under which multiple models sharing common architecture and components will be developed together. Nissan's plant in Canton, Mississippi, is planned as the production hub for its large-vehicle family, while Nissan Motor Kyushu will serve as the centre for compact models. Nissan has not yet disclosed a third product family, and aims to cover 80% of global sales through these three categories.
Although Nissan intends to maintain domestic capacity of around 1 million vehicles, its actual production in Japan last fiscal year, including contracted output for Mitsubishi, was about 700,000 units. Nissan's domestic output exceeded 1 million vehicles in fiscal 2016 but has remained low in recent years.
