Struggling Japanese automaker Nissan Motor says about 1,000 of its employees in the United States have accepted early retirement offers. That figure represents 6 percent of the firm's US workforce.

Earlier this month, Nissan reported a more than 90 percent drop in its operating profits and net income for the six-month period that ended in September.

The precipitous fall primarily stemmed from weak sales in the US, where purchases of electric vehicles have been sluggish, while demand for hybrids has been growing rapidly.

Nissan does not sell hybrid models in the US market. Its efforts to shore up sales led to an increase in expenses, and that weighed on the firm's profitability.

Nissan plans to turn its business around by cutting its global production capacity and reducing its workforce by 9,000 people worldwide. The company also intends to try to enhance the competitiveness of its products.