Mitsubishi eyes car production in Myanmar

Automaker focuses on ASEAN while scaling back Europe operations

Traffic is seen behind a pedestrian bridge in downtown Yangon. Mitsubishi Motors is leaning toward assembling cars in Myanmar as part of its Southeast Asia strategy. © Reuters

KOSUKE TERAI, Nikkei staff writer

August 4, 2020 05:24 JST

TOKYO -- Mitsubishi Motors is considering building vehicles in Myanmar, as the Japanese automaker deepens its commitment to Southeast Asia, CEO Takao Kato told Nikkei, charting a way forward in a market battered by the coronavirus pandemic.

Kato said his company hopes to "collaborate" with Mitsubishi Corp., the trading house that owns a 20% stake in the automaker and is well-versed in the local market. Details, such as the timing and the form of the business, have yet to be decided.