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Concerns for Japan and Korea

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Concerns for Japan and Korea

They might have much to gain from Detroit’s demise, but for Asia’s leading automakers, the prospect of one or all of the Big Three failing is arguably of greater concern than rivals receiving government aid. Indeed, since executives worry the collapse of General Motors, Ford, or Chrysler would have a negative impact on car sales, hurt the financial health of suppliers, and trigger a possible backlash against import brands, the problems of Detroit are problems for foreign rivals, too.

One concern is the collapse of GM or another Detroit rival will have a ripple effect on suppliers that sell parts to Asian transplants as well as to American companies. Just as important, at a time when U.S. auto sales are slumping, Japanese and Korean rivals don’t want anything to dent consumer confidence further. After all, companies such as Toyota and Honda, longtime producers of cars in the U.S., continue to increase production capacity in North America.

Here’s a look at some of the U.S. production might of Asia's automakers.