Honda’s Dream of U.S. Production Protects Profit
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Honda Motor Co. became the first Japanese automaker to build cars in the U.S. 28 years ago in part to fulfill a long-held goal of founder Soichiro Honda. The company’s success in shifting production is shielding profits from the yen’s advance to a 15-year high against the dollar.
A record 89 percent of Honda and Acura-brand autos sold in the U.S. through July were built in Tokyo-based Honda’s plants in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, up from 82.2 percent a year earlier, the company said. Japanese rivals Toyota Motor Corp. and Nissan Motor Co. each made 68 percent of vehicles sold in the U.S. at North American plants, according to the carmakers.