All smaller hp Tohatsu, Mercury, Nissan and engines are made by a joint venture between Tohatus and Mercury.
In 1987, Mercury Marine and Tohatsu Corporation created a joint venture called Tohatsu Marine Corporation (TMC) to manufacture smaller outboards. Right now all Mercury models 30 horsepower and less are manufactured by TMC in Japan. A Mercury spokesperson told me that the motors smaller than 20 horsepower are generally designed by Tohatsu, while larger models are a collaboration between the two companies. The Tohatsu product line includes motors from 2.5 to 115 horsepower, and it sells the same models under the Nissan Marine brand from its U.S . marketing office in Texas. Click Here 
