A major 7.1 magnitude earthquake that occurred on July 28 in the Kumamoto region of southwestern Japan forced Toyota and Nissan to temporarily halt operations at several plants. Although the plants themselves did not suffer serious damage, production plans were adjusted due to disruptions in supply chains and infrastructure problems.
The enterprises are located approximately 150 km from the earthquake's epicenter. However, road damage, power outages, and the cessation of operations by some suppliers forced the companies to take precautionary measures.
Toyota initially stopped three plants for one shift immediately after the earthquake. An attempt to resume production the next day was short-lived – the company then announced a suspension of operations until Friday. The restrictions affected the production of engines, hybrid power units, and the assembly of Lexus vehicles.
The three-day downtime could result in an underproduction of approximately 5,200 vehicles.
Nissan also partially halted production. The company explained the decision by a shortage of components. Individual production lines, manufacturing, in particular, the Infiniti QX80 and Nissan Armada, were affected by the restrictions. The full recovery timeline has not yet been announced.
An additional problem is created by the situation with suppliers. Many enterprises producing automotive components are located in the Kumamoto region. At least two suppliers have already suspended operations, which could affect production rates even after the car factories resume work.