When Nissan Philippines (NPI) announced the sudden change in presidency, the question on our minds was, ‘what will happen to the multiple car launches from 2026 to 2028?’ Well, we now have an answer. But first, a little background on the situation.
In 2025, the year outgoing NPI president Masao Tsutsumi was appointed, he announced the launch of three to four vehicles per year from 2026 to 2028. That’s about 12 local car launches from the Japanese manufacturer in three years.
Then, earlier in March, Nissan announced major organizational changes, particularly in the brand’s senior management. These changes would see the promotion of Tsutsumi-san to Nissan ASEAN president, starting April 1, 2026.
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Current Nissan ASEAN president Toshihiro Fujiki will then take on the role of corporate executive of global aftersales at Nissan Japan, while Yoshinori Kanazawa, the managing director of the Nissan importers business unit in ASEAN, will be appointed as NPI president.
We got the chance to sit down with Fujiki-san and Tsutsumi-san for an interview in Thailand during the 2026 Bangkok International Motor Show. Both executives spoke on the importance of consistency in Nissan’s operations. And as for the multiple car launches announced in 2025? “Management changes won’t change this plan,” said Fujiki-san.
As for the specific models to be launched, there were no confirmations yet. But the two executives did give hints. Fujiki-san said there are ongoing discussions to bring more electric-powered vehicles to the ASEAN market, highlighting the region’s significance for the Japanese brand.
These vehicles will include SUVs, sedans, and pickup trucks. Fujiki-san also highlighted the importance of Nissan’s investment in Thailand to export vehicles to Southeast Asian countries. We know that there are models fully manufactured at Nissan’s plant in Thailand, one of them being the new Nissan Kicks e-Power that will debut in the Philippines this year.
Tsutsumi-san said there’s more interest in BEVs from customers in the Philippines, especially with fuel prices rising drastically. But he also said that short-term movements will not be used for long-term plans and development. This hints that internal combustion engines will not be completely abandoned, and e-Power could become a more common sight in NPI’s future lineup.
Kanazawa-san, the new NPI president will officially take on the role starting April 1, 2026. When outgoing president Tsutsumi-san was asked what he would miss most about the Philippines, he said simply, “the people.”
