WIRE REPORTS

BOJ May Forego Further Stimulus Until October Forecast Review San Francisco Chronicle Toshiyuki Shiga, chief operating officer of Nissan Motor Co., this week said curbing the currency is "the number one priority." Suzuki Motor Corp. ... and more » Japan Said to View Likely American Opposition as Yen Intervention Obstacle Bloomberg Toshiyuki Shiga, chief operating officer of Nissan Motor Co., this week said curbing the currency is “the number one priority.” Suzuki Motor Corp. ... and more » Gov't to introduce electric cars in bid to go green istockAnalyst.com (press release) The Nissan LEAF, manufactured by Nissan Motor Co., Lt., will be introduced in the public sector in 2011 to help the Kingdom reduce carbon dioxide emissions, ... and more » China in global talent search for state companies KMPH Fox 26 ... Nuclear Power Technology Corp., the China State Construction Engineering Corp. and automaker Dongfeng Motor Corp., the local partner of Nissan Motor Co. ... and more » Honda shares pass Toyota's on emerging market hope Reuters With a slower earnings recovery compared with Japanese rivals Honda and Nissan Motor Co (7201.T), Toyota's shares are hardly 10 percent above a post-Lehman ... and more » Asia stocks gain on brighter US data, Europe falls The Associated Press Shares of Nissan Motor Co., whose US sales retreated by 7 percent from July, added 2.9 percent. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index rose 1.2 percent to 20868.92 and ... and more » Auto sales crash in August The Tennessean Nissan Motor Co.'s sales of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles fell 27 percent in August. General Motors, Toyota, Honda and Ford all reported big declines from ... and more » Toyota Leads US Sales Drop on 'Clunkers' Comparison BusinessWeek Sales for Nissan Motor Co. and Hyundai Motor Co. fell 27 percent and 11 percent, respectively. Asia-based brands had a combined 29 percent decline, ... and more » Auto briefs The Detroit News Nissan Motor Co. plans to begin production at a new plant in China this month to keep pace with rising demand. The Tokyo-based carmaker will start producing ... and more » August auto sales cool without 'cash for clunkers' incentives The Detroit News This year, Ford, Nissan Motor Co. and Hyundai have achieved significant gains in market share. The Hyundai Sonata is the most researched car on Edmunds' ... and more »

DAILY REPORTS

Aug 31 Japan's taxi firms introducing all-electric fleets Impressed by the success of the Better Place experiment with electric taxis in the city of Tokyo, an increasing number of Japan's taxi operators are adopting electric vehicles (EVs). Nissan Motor Co. has received advance orders for around 6,000 orders for its Leaf electric car, which will go on sale in Japan in December, with several hundred of those orders from taxi companies. Mitsubishi Motors Corp.'s i-MiEV is also proving popular with drivers. Many of those firms are based in Yokohama, which is one of two local authorities in Japan to introduce subsidy programs for anyone who purchases an environmentally vehicle. Similar schemes are due to be introduced in other cities around Japan in the near future, including Tokyo. (independent.co.uk) Aug 29 Japan beyond the Ginza Nintendo, Sony, Sega, Canon, Nikon, Toshiba, Toyota, Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan -- these are just some of the brands that helped build Japan's reputation as a leader in cutting-edge technology. But this ancient country is also home to centuries-old traditions, which endure despite the hi-tech revolution that has taken place around them. The contrast between old and new is what makes Japan a truly fascinating country to visit. (Toronto Sun) Aug 21 Honda's U.S. output protects profit Honda Motor Co. became the first Japanese automaker to build cars in the U.S. 28 years ago in part to fulfill a long-held goal of founder Soichiro Honda. The company's success in shifting production is shielding profits from the yen's advance to a 15-year high against the dollar. A record 89 percent of Honda and Acura-brand autos sold in the U.S. through July were built in Honda's plants in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, up from 82.2 percent a year earlier. Rivals Toyota Motor Corp. and Nissan Motor Co. each made 68 percent of vehicles sold in the U.S. at North American plants, according to the carmakers. (Japan Times) Aug 18 Nissan to give temps some stability Nissan Motor Co. will forgo using job-placement agencies and start directly hiring all temporary nonengineering staff in phases beginning in October in an apparent effort to provide employment stability to workers in line with a labor office request, company officials said Wednesday. Nissan's move may spur other companies to rethink their hiring practices, analysts say, although Toyota and Honda say they have no current plans to follow suit. (Japan Times) Aug 4 Japan's automakers recover but challenges remain Japan's top automakers reported strong results for the quarter ended June as they reap the benefits of a rebound in global demand, but concerns such as a strong yen cloud their outlook, say analysts. The top three automakers, Toyota, Honda and Nissan, saw quarterly profits surge on-year as the industry recovers from the lows hit in a financial crisis that forced the companies to scale back production and slash thousands of jobs. (AFP) Jul 17 Toyota, Nissan want bigger slice of the pie in Latin America Toyota Motor Corp. and Nissan Motor Co. will invest a combined $1.2 billion to expand production in Latin America amid growing regional and export demand. Toyota is spending $600 million on a new car plant in the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo, the company said in a statement, and Nissan is spending the same amount to expand Mexican production to build three new models, Chief Executive Officer Carlos Ghosn said Thursday in Mexico City. (Japan Times) Jul 16 Japan's obscure executive rich list In a country where big corporations have only just been ordered to disclose exactly how much their million-dollar earners make, the relatively high pay of Carlos Ghosn and Howard Stringer, the non-Japanese, high-profile heads of Nissan Motor Co. and Sony Corp., caused no little brouhaha. Less well-known: some of their Japanese peers were nipping at their heels in terms of pay. What's more, they don't work for household name auto or tech giants like Messrs. Ghosn and Stringer. Nor do they even pull the strings on some of the world's biggest savings deposits at Japan's mega-banks. Instead, they head up mid-cap manufacturers little known outside their home country. (AFP) Jul 13 Nissan hit by Hitachi parts delay Nissan Motor Co. will suspend production for three days starting Wednesday at four domestic plants due to delayed delivery of engine-related parts from Hitachi Ltd., company officials said. The delayed delivery of engine control units will affect production of about 15,000 vehicles at Nissan's plants in Tochigi, Kanagawa and Fukuoka prefectures as well as a plant in Fukuoka Prefecture operated by Nissan Shatai Kyushu Co., the officials said. (Japan Times) Jun 30 Japan's big four car makers issue over 100,000 recalls Car makers Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors will recall more than 100,000 vehicles in Japan due to defective air bags and seat belts, the transport ministry said Wednesday. The recalls trace back to a single supplier, Tokyo-based parts maker Takata, local media reported. The company also supplies Audi, Daimler, Chrysler, Ford and General Motors. Toyota Motor will recall 50,738 vehicles, Honda 24,522, and Nissan 35,964 built in 2000-2001 due to problems with the airbag inflator in the passenger seat that causes shards to fly out when the airbag opens, the ministry said. (AFP) Jun 30 Japan taps foreign managers A wave of strikes in China has prompted Japanese companies operating abroad to finally tap local management, decades after Western peers embraced the strategy of cultivating home-grown expertise. Japan is a late bloomer when it comes to adapting businesses to changing global standards, but recent strikes in China against the country's two largest automakers have been a wake-up call to speed up the process, say experts. Japanese companies have traditionally been reluctant to cede management to foreigners, with the hiring of Howard Stringer at the helm of Sony and Carlos Ghosn at Nissan initially greeted with scepticism. (Straits Times) Jun 23 Japan finding out who gets big pay under new rule Japan is finally finding out who is getting the big paychecks, thanks to a new rule requiring disclosure of pay for executives receiving 100 million yen ($1 million) or more. But the list of millionaire bosses is surprisingly short and many of them it turns out are foreigners - like Nissan Motor Co. Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn, who raised the ire of a few shareholders when he announced Wednesday his whopping compensation of $9.5 million for the fiscal year ended March. The disclosures mark a dramatic shift for Japan's corporate culture, which has previously not fostered professional management based on risk-taking by a decisive executive with the hefty paycheck to back it, analysts say. (AP) Jun 18 Japanese not worried about Stringer's pay After Sony Corp. disclosed its CEO Howard Stringer earned about 410 million yen ($4.5 million) and received stock options for 500,000 shares in the last fiscal year, Japan Real Time hit the streets to see what ordinary people think of his salary. Are they outraged? Angry? Demanding Sony apologizes? Nope, on all three counts. "It's okay," Kazuhisa Hayashida, an accountant in his 30s, said. "It's just for a small number of people. It's nice of him to come to Japan for that money. I hope Japanese executives would come to make as much money [in the future], not just [Nissan CEO Carlos] Ghosn and Stringer." (Wall Street Journal) May 26 Nissan CEO Ghosn defends his plan for growth in electric cars Nissan Motor Co.'s Chief Executive Officer Carlos Ghosn defended his plan to sell 500,000 electric cars a year by 2012, saying skepticism from analysts and competitors won't deter him. Ghosn, 56, also CEO of Renault SA, is trying to sell more electric cars through both companies than rivals are planning. General Motors Co. aims to build 45,000 of its Volt electric car, which also uses gasoline, annually by 2012. California-based startup Tesla Motors Inc. has said it will sell about 20,000 of its Model S sedan starting next year. (BusinessWeek) Apr 26 Japanese carmakers increase output Toyota Motor Corp., Honda Motor Co. and Nissan Motor Co. increased global auto production in March as demand rose in Asia and the U.S. Toyota's output surged 97 percent to 773,297 vehicles from 392,882 a year earlier, the company said Monday. Honda increased production 62 percent to 349,425 vehicles and Nissan boosted output 85 percent to 318,827, the companies said separately. (Japan Times) Apr 24 Tesla to sell electric sports car in Japan Tesla Motors Inc., a U.S. automaker specializing in electric vehicles, will launch its high-end Roadster electric sports car in Japan in early May. This is the first time a foreign automaker will release an electric vehicle in the Japanese market. Mitsubishi Motors Corp. began domestic sales of its i-MiEV electric vehicle last July, while Nissan Motor Co. will launch an electric vehicle in December. The move by the Silicon Valley-based automaker likely will intensify competition in Japan's electric vehicle market. (Yomiuri) Apr 21 Nissan to restart plants halted by ash Nissan Motor Co. will resume production Thursday at two plants halted after the air transport disruption caused by volcanic ash from Iceland blocked imports of some auto parts, company officials said. Although the parts - air pressure sensors for vehicle tires - have not yet been delivered from Ireland, the automaker decided to use those in stock for after-purchase servicing purposes, the officials said. (Japan Times) Apr 9 An automotive marriage of convenience Once burned, twice shy. It's a phrase one often hears after a painful divorce. Unless, of course, you're talking about Daimler AG, whose nearly decade-long marriage to Chrysler ended bitterly, three years ago. Now, the German company is back at the altar, ready to try again. Daimler, it seems, has lined up a new paramour - two, in fact: French-based Renault and the Japanese carmaker Nissan. Together, they're forming a motoring menage a trois that some observers see as the way of the future for the auto industry. Others wonder if history will repeat itself for Daimler. (MSNBC) Apr 5 Nissan, Renault near Daimler deal Nissan Motor Co. and French partner Renault SA are drawing close to a capital tieup agreement with Germany's Daimler AG that may be concluded by the end of this week, sources said Monday. "The talks could move during the week," a senior Nissan official said. (Japan Times) Apr 4 E-tags eyed for car transport Three major domestic automakers and a leading shipping company will jointly develop a system to more efficiently transport cars by using electronic tags, it has been learned. Toyota Motor Corp., Nissan Motor Co., Mitsubishi Motors Corp. and NYK Line aim to cut costs by reducing inventory and streamlining logistical facilities with the introduction of electronic tags. (Yomiuri) Apr 2 Ghosn: Nissan-Renault open to new alliesGhosn: Nissan-Renault open to new allies The Nissan-Renault SA alliance is willing to forge cross-shareholding agreements with other companies to gain an edge in developing vehicles and probing new markets, Carlos Ghosn, president of Nissan Motor Co., said. In an interview with The Asahi Shimbun on Wednesday, Ghosn also expressed his intention to continue serving four more years as Nissan president, a position he will have held for a decade this June. (Asahi) Apr 1 Early price war for electric cars Seeking an early foothold in a new market, two Japanese automakers slashed prices of their electric vehicles, which will cost buyers less than 3 million yen ($32,000) if government incentives are applied. Nissan Motor Co. on Tuesday unveiled the Leaf, its new electric compact car that is slated to hit the market in December, with a minimum price tag of 3.76 million yen. (Asahi) Mar 31 Mitsubishi cuts price tag on electric car as EV price war with Nissan looms Mitsubishi Motors Corp. announced Tuesday that it has slashed the price of its i-MiEV electric car to below 3 million yen in a bid to compete against rival Nissan Motor Co. The automaker has decided to cut the price of its i-MiEV rechargeable compact by 370,000 yen to 2.84 million yen ahead of its scheduled general release in April -- about 150,000 yen cheaper than Nissan Motor Co.'s Leaf electric car. Nissan announced earlier the same day that it will start selling its new Leaf electric vehicle (EV) with a price tag of 2.99 million yen in December this year. (Mainichi) Mar 30 Nissan's electric car to sell for 3.76 mil. yen Nissan Motor Co. said Tuesday it will begin selling its Leaf electric vehicle in December priced at 3.76 million yen. The automaker, which will begin taking orders for the car Thursday, also said the car can be purchased for 2.99 million yen including the expected state subsidy for eco cars of 770,000 yen. (Yomiuri) Mar 23 Nissan eyes green tie-up with Daimler Japan's Nissan Motor, under the control of France's Renault, is in talks with Germany's Daimler to procure large engines and cooperate on the development of green cars, a report said Tuesday. Renault, which has a 44.3 percent stake in Japan's third-largest automaker, is already in partnership talks with Daimler and those discussions are likely to expand into three-way negotiations, the Nikkei business daily said. The three sides may agree on a tie-up that could include cross-shareholdings as early as April, the report said, echoing reports about an equity deal last week in the Japanese press and by the Financial Times. (AFP) Mar 22 Nissan plans to lease EV batteries Nissan Motor Co., seeking to lead the emerging market for electric vehicles, said it expects most customers will lease rather than buy battery packs for the vehicles. Leases will account for the 'vast majority' of batteries for models such as Nissan's Leaf, Jonathan Dixon, the company's business-development manager for zero-emission strategic planning, said Friday in London. He didn't give a specific figure. (Japan Times) [ More... ]