Quake Damage Cuts Japan Automakers’ Output

Toyota Motor announced on Thursday the firm resumes hybrid car production at Tsutsumi plant and its subsidiary, Toyota Motor Kyushu on March 28. However, the firm apparently resumes the operation at the plants on trial basis to confirm parts supply condition after the major earthquake.

Toyota Motor has stopped all of the automobile output at Japanese finished car making plants including group companies since March 14. The output reduction during the outage will be around 140,000 units, according to an industry source.

Toyota Motor notified parts and materials suppliers of domestic production plan through June. The firm plans slightly more than 290,000 units of output in June with 22 operation days. However, the firm doesn’t count the impact by the earthquake. A source of automotive flat steel supplying coil center expects the actual output of Toyota Motor will be around 50% of the plan in and after April.

Honda Motor announced on Thursday the firm keeps stopping operation at all domestic finished car making plants through April 3 while the firm resumes motorcycle making plant in Kumamoto on March 28. The firm expects the finished car output reduction would be 46,600 units at the plants including subsidiaries through the beginning of April.

Daihatsu Motor’s finished car output reduction would be around 27,000 units through March 29. Fuji Heavy Industries’ production reduction would be around 23,000 units through March 28. Suzuki Motor’s output reduction would be around 32,000 units through Friday.