Nissan has announced that its Oppama manufacturing plant in Yokosuka, Japan, will cease operations by the end of its 2027 fiscal year, or by March 2028. The Oppama plant began the assembly of the Nissan Leaf back in 2010, and continued to build on the brand’s electrified lineup by focusing on models with e-Power.
Vehicle manufacturing operations will be transferred to the Nissan Motor Kyushu facility in Fukuoka. The Nissan Research Center at Oppama will remain active, along with its ‘Grandrive’ vehicle testing course and crash-test facility. The Oppama Wharf will also remain operational for vehicle transportation and exporting.
Overall, the Oppama plant employs 3,900 people, and around 2,400 of them could be moved to Fukuoka. Nissan has confirmed that all employees will remain at their posts until the end of its 2027 fiscal year.
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Nissan CEO Ivan Espinosa shared that while it was a difficult decision to make, closing the Oppama plant is a necessary step in the company’s rehabilitation: “Today, Nissan made a tough but necessary decision. It wasn’t easy—for me or for the company—but I believe it’s a vital step toward overcoming our current challenges and building a sustainable future. The Oppama Plant is a proud part of our history, and its legacy will endure.”
In the same statement, Nissan announced it will also be closing part of its Shatai Shonan plant, which primarily builds the NV200 utility vehicle. That line will close at the end of the 2026 fiscal year, sometime next year.
These closures are part of Re:Nissan—the brand’s framework for optimizing global operations and ultimately returning to a financially viable position. Under Re:Nissan, vehicle production is expected to decrease, as more plants may close. However, Nissan is still expected to roll out new releases and updated models. This framework could also open the doors for more partnerships in vehicle manufacturing.
