Nissan to cut 1,500 jobs in Japan

Nissan's new Skyline coupe is scheduled for release in the autumn

Nissan Motor has said it will cut 1,500 jobs through an early retirement programme in Japan to boost performance amid shrinking domestic sales.

The firm recently cut 775 jobs in the US in a similar manner.

In February, Japan's third-biggest carmaker lowered its earnings outlook by 12% for the year to 31 March.

While Japanese carmakers have been making inroads abroad, domestic sales have been under pressure amid slack demand and stiff competition.

'Proactive'

To boost domestic sales and meet its target of selling 4.2 million cars by 2009, Nissan will release 11 new or resdesigned vehicles in the current fiscal year.

In the meantime, it will look to cut costs and the early retirement package will be available to full-time employees in non-managerial positions over the age of 45 with at least five years of service.

Applications will be open from June to the end of March 2008.

"Nissan is being proactive here in dealing with overcapacity," said Christopher Richter, an analyst at CLSA Asia-Pacific Markets.