WASHINGTON, Aug 9 (Xinhua) -- Eleven U.S. states are in hot pursuit of a new joint plant announced by Japanese auto companies Toyota and Mazda last week that would generate up to 4,000 jobs.
Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that the shortlist includes: Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Texas.
Toyota has been exploring those states for months, according to people familiar with the matter.
The joint venture will produce Toyota's bestselling car Corolla for the North American market, and will also produce crossover models for Mazda who currently does not have a plant in the United States.
Toyota announced last week that it was taking a five percent stake in Mazda, and would build a joint plant with Mazda in the U.S. that would cost 1.6 billion U.S. dollars.
The southeastern states of the U.S. have become the preferred locations for foreign auto companies because of their business-friendly labor laws.
