Honda to move some production to Thailand

Honda Motor Co. plans to shift some production of its large and mid-sized motorcycles from Japan to Thailand, a Japanese newspaper reported.

Honda’s 400cc to 500cc bikes have been produced only at the Kumamoto plant in Japan until now, The Yomiuri Shimbun reported. The Kumamoto plant, which is currently building the larger motorcycles for developed countries in the West, will retain its employees and continue production. Newly developed 400cc to 500cc will be built at an already-purchased site in a Bangkok suburb, and the Thai factory will become the company’s new base for exports.

Honda has made the move to Thailand to lower production costs as the yen has appreciated to about Yen77 yen to $1, the newspaper reported.