Japanese automaker Nissan is reportedly preparing to cut around 20,000 jobs—double the number previously estimated—as part of an expanded global restructuring effort. This potential 15% reduction of its 1.33 lakh-strong workforce follows continued business struggles, including poor sales in China and the US, intensifying competition from Chinese EV manufacturers, and profit-eroding US tariffs.
In November 2024, Nissan had initially planned to let go of around 9,000 employees. However, mounting financial pressure and a bleak growth outlook have pushed the company toward more drastic measures. Shareholders were informed in April 2025 that Nissan is expecting net losses between $4.74 billion and $5.08 billion, driven largely by impairment charges. Official confirmation of the expanded layoffs is still awaited, but media reports suggest that at least three production plants will be shut down by June, including one in Thailand.
In a further sign of retrenchment, Nissan has reportedly scrapped plans to build a $1 billion EV battery plant in Kyushu, Japan, citing funding challenges despite pending government subsidies. With rising debt and an expensive restructuring effort underway, the automaker is struggling to regain its footing in a rapidly transforming global auto market.
