The development of Japanese car companies in the UK is still unclear. Toyota's investment is only to appease

Nissan, Toyota and Honda produced 1.7 million cars in the UK in 2016, employing a total of 16,000 people. Eight months after the Brexit announcement, Nissan and Toyota both made their own commitments, while Honda recently started production of the all-new Civic, so no further investment is planned in the next few years.

Toyota's increased investment may just be to appease the British people

As Brexit approaches, Toyota and Nissan have both started negotiations with the British government. On Thursday, Toyota Motor Corporation announced that it will invest 240 million pounds (294 million U.S. dollars) in its British factories to produce cars on a new platform to increase local competitiveness and increase the use of locally produced parts in the UK. This move also further implies that Japanese automakers will continue to invest in the UK after Brexit. Takaki Nakanishi, a former Merrill Lynch analyst, said: "Toyota does not like to have public discussions with the British government. Its management focus and investment period are different from Nissan. In Japan, Toyota has the closest relationship with the government compared to other automakers."

Toyota executives have said that Toyota's investment strategy in the UK is not just based on economic factors, and the investment in the UK is mainly to modernize its production lines, employee training and research and development. Tony Walker, Toyota's UK production director, said: "If we don't invest, then we will not be able to produce new cars, and it also implies that we will give up the UK market, where we have invested more than 2.5 billion pounds in the past 25 years." In February last year, Toyota invested 7.1 million pounds in its Deeside engine plant, but this does not completely guarantee that Toyota will continue to produce cars in the UK in the future. Johan van Zyl, head of Toyota Europe, said: "As a company, the investment we make is only to improve the competitiveness of our Burnaston plant. Predictable and uncomplicated tariff issues between the UK and the EU are also crucial to our future development."

Some people believe that Toyota's investment does not involve any increase in jobs and car production, and is a commitment made to the British government, but the long-term decision will ultimately depend on the actual situation after the UK officially leaves the EU. In addition, some analysts believe that Toyota's investment is at the cusp of the UK's official launch of the Brexit process, and the purpose may also be to appease the British government and local factories.

Nissan has made a positive written guarantee

On the contrary, Nissan is more active. Carlos Ghosn, CEO of the Renault-Nissan Alliance, met with British Prime Minister Theresa May in Downing Street last October and drafted a written guarantee. The British government did not disclose the content of the guarantee, but it was revealed that Nissan will continue to invest in the UK after Brexit.

During the talks between Ghosn and Theresa May, Nissan representatives made it clear to the British government that the suspension of production of the Qashqai SUV at the Sunderland plant might lead to a downward trend in Nissan's performance in the UK, and even the closure of the plant. Nissan's research center in Milton Keynes and the design studio in west London might also be closed. Recently, Nissan has been calling on the British government to invest 100 million pounds to attract suppliers to build factories in the UK, and use the Sunderland plant as a bargaining chip. It is reported that Nissan's Sunderland plant has an annual production of 500,000 vehicles, of which 55% are sold to EU countries.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.