Japanese factories halt production after the strong earthquakes of last week

Sometimes even one of the world’s largest industries, such as the automotive sector, feels vulnerable in the face of nature’s great power and force.

This is the case of the factories located on the island of Japan, which have been forced to halt production after the strong earthquakes of last week.

Japan is a territory somewhat “accustomed” to earthquakes. The island sits on a “hot spot,” so tremors have become a common occurrence for the region. Everyone there knows how to react to an earthquake, and buildings are equipped with structures designed to withstand strong seismic movements.

However, it is not always possible to pretend nothing is happening and carry on with normal activity. This is the case with last week’s earthquakes on Japanese soil, which were stronger than usual. As a result, nearly 50 people dead, collapsed buildings, and economic and industrial activity practically paralyzed across the country.

The automotive industry is one of the major losers in the economic sphere. Japan is home to numerous factories of brands such as Mazda, Nissan, Honda or Toyota. In this case, Nissan, Honda and Toyota have reported production line stoppages.

These production halts will cause delays in the delivery of new vehicles

In the case of Nissan, it is the Fukuoka plant, which produces models such as the Murano and the Note, that has remained shut down, although normal production is expected to resume within the next few hours. As for Honda, the affected plant is Kumamoto, which manufactures motorcycles.

For the time being, the Honda plant will not resume operations, as various tests and checks are being carried out to verify that the production lines and the factory have not suffered damage that could affect subsequent manufacturing.

As for Toyota, the brand has decided to halt production at most of its factories for at least the rest of this week. This stoppage is due not to a problem with the buildings or production lines, but to the impossibility of producing because of a shortage of parts that suppliers cannot deliver.

These stoppages will bring some delays for customers who are already waiting for their new car, who will see their delivery times extended a little longer still. Nature can be serious at times…

Source: BBC