Nissan to end Philippine auto assembly operations

Manila's trade chief says closure justifies protective tariffs on car imports

Nissan's sales in the Philippines fell 49% in 2020 to 21,751 vehicles, compared with the previous year, prompting the Japanese automaker to shut down manufacturing in the country. © Reuters

CLIFF VENZON, Nikkei staff writer

January 21, 2021 17:44 JST

MANILA -- Nissan Motor will end its assembly operations in the Philippines in March as part of efforts to restructure its regional operations, the Japanese automaker said on Thursday.

Nissan's move comes as automakers in the country struggle to keep business humming amid the pandemic. Car sales in the Philippines fell 40% last year to 223,973 vehicles.