Mitsubishi Motors seen increasing production capacity in Japan

The story over at Agence France-Presse.

All I need are the headlines. You don't grow your economy by cutting manufacturing while your competitors are increasing their's.

Engineer vehicles people want and need. Streamline production methods as much as possible. Trim waste. Hell, the Japanese are quite willing to show you how they do it.

Closing all these plants is "bottom line" thinking. The productive capacity will be reduced, not go unchanged. This is dangerously myopic thinking.

Toyota Expanding in North America - New York Times

Toyota Expanding N.J. Parts Center to Keep Up With Growing Vehicle ...

Toyota expanding Bodine transmission casting American Metal Market ...

Ford cutting 35000 jobs, closing plants - Jan. 11, 2002

KickingTires: Ford Closing Dealerships: What it Means to You


Ford to close 14 North American manufacturing plants - Jan. 23, 2006

Detroit News: Chrysler to close Newark plant « First State Politics

Chrysler Closing Set In St. Louis - New York Times

Chrysler will close two large-vehicle plants in America in 2008 ...


GM Closing Plants, Cutting 30000 Jobs - The Car Connection

I could go on, but what's the point? Toyota is competing in the back yards of Chrysler, GM, Ford and they're winning. So much for the American idea of competition and supremacy.

And "the big three" aren't the only ones who should be concerned.

Digg - Toyota has overtaken GM to become the world's biggest carmaker

Can't find a link, but years ago Toyota management said (paraphrased), "Toyota's goal is to be the world's transportation supplier".

Thus far it appears they're doing a great job of getting to that goal.