[bobcat]

Toyota has shifted much of it's manufacturing out of Japan to other countries. My first guess is that a lot of Japanese auto workers have been layed off. My second guess is that Toyota has kept the best Japanese auto workers employed. So you have a iM that is built in Japan by the cream of the crop of Japanese auto workers. A win win by my way of thinking!

 

[Kalisyohta]

all scions have always been built in japan so it was always win-win in that scenario but you may be correct in this regard.

 

[SiM]

I can bet it's the workers in higher up positions that require a long list of credentials got offered to relocate, as you can imagine how much of an asset they would be, but that's definitely no line worker.

 

[S-Factor]

Not sure if the line workers are the cream of the crop but Toyota cars are known to last a long time and probably even more so with the Scion brand since it's built in Japan. Probably higher standard in it's home country too.

 

[Gotcha]

It might have something to do with the TPP deal that has been just recently approved. This should make it so that manufacturing can't be taxed and tariffed in order to manipulate where automakers end up building vehicles within the TPP countries.

Auto manufacturing in Vietnam?

 

[S-Factor]

For the iM? It's production should remain in Japan but future models may be built elsewhere.

 

[Patrick.S]

For the iM? It's production should remain in Japan but future models may be built elsewhere.

I can see that being the case if sales continue to hold up well over the long run, plus it could be where they also produce the brands future crossover. Great way to batch the two.