Key facts
- Nissan and Daihatsu production remains suspended following a magnitude-7 earthquake in Kumamoto prefecture.
- Toyota suspended operations at three plants until Friday, anticipating a loss of approximately 5,200 vehicle units.
- Nissan has indefinitely suspended certain production lines due to parts availability issues.
- An Aisin plant, a major Toyota supplier, sustained damage and has an unclear timetable for resuming operations.
- The earthquake affected auto and chip manufacturers in the Kyushu region, including TSMC and Renesas.
Nissan and Daihatsu's production remains suspended in Japan following a magnitude-7 earthquake that struck Kumamoto prefecture on July 28. The disaster has caused widespread damage to infrastructure and supply chains, impacting numerous businesses, including major automotive and chip manufacturers in the Kyushu region.
Toyota has halted operations at its three plants in the region through Friday, anticipating a loss of approximately 5,200 vehicle units. Nissan has also suspended certain production lines indefinitely due to issues with parts availability. While the plants themselves were not directly damaged, disruptions to suppliers and the surrounding infrastructure are leading to significant delays.
The impact extends to the supply of vehicles for international markets, with potential limitations on certain Lexus and Nissan models in the United States. Several auto parts manufacturers in the Kumamoto area have also suspended operations, further exacerbating supply chain concerns for both Toyota and Nissan. A major Toyota supplier, Aisin, sustained damage to its plant, with no clear timetable for resuming operations.
Renesas Electronics and Tokyo Electron are beginning to restart some operations, benefiting from quake-resistant construction and lessons learned from past disasters.